Tracking PRSEUS Technical Progress with Reduction of Performance Uncertainty Through Technology Development and Demonstration Phases

Abstract

Technology development and demonstration is performed in order to mature a technology and reduce the risk of implementing it on current and future aircraft. The Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) technology was developed by Boeing and NASA and has been demonstrated through the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) program. Throughout this demonstration process, experiments have been executed to gain performance information for the structure. For most experiments, however, performance has been assessed through lower level metrics and proof of concept checks rather than with system level metrics such as structural weight reduction. An approach is presented that translates the lessons learned from various milestones in the PRSEUS technology development and demonstration phases to system level performance metrics. Uncertainty about those metrics is quantified to show the achievement of technical progress, i.e. reduction of uncertainty, through demonstration. This process was performed for a 300-passenger hybrid wing body (HWB) configuration and a large twin aisle (LTA) tube-and-wing configuration similar to a B777-200LR. It was shown that a reduction of uncertainty of 38.8% and 35.5% of the original uncertainty range for the HWB and LTA, respectively, was achieved through manufacturing milestones and experiments performed in ERA Phase II.