TECHNICAL NOTE 2249

THE SPANWISE DISTRIBUTION OF LIFT FOR MINIMUM

INDUCED DRAG OF WINGS HAVING A GIVEN LIFT AND
A GIVEN BENDING MOMENT
Robert T. Jones
Ames Aeronautical Laboratory

December 1950

539

NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS

TECHNICAL NOTE 2249

THE SPANWISE DISTRIBUTION OF LIFT FOR MINIMUM INDUCED

DRAG OF WINGS HAVING A GIVEN LIFT AND A

GIVEN BENDING MOMENT

By Robert T. Jones

SUMMARY
The problem of t h e minimup induced drag of wings having a given l i f t
and a given span is extended t o include cases i n which t h e bending moment
t o be supported by t h e wing i s a l s o given. A s i n t h e c l a s s i c d l problem
of induced drag, t h e theory i s l i m i t e d t o l i f t i n g surfaces t r a v e l i n g a t
subsonic speeds. It i s found t h a t t h e required shape of t h e downwash d i s t r i b u t i o n can be obtained i n an elementary way which i s applicable t o a
v a r i e t y of such problems. Expressions f o r t h e minimum drag and t h e corresponding spanwise load d i s t r i b u t i o n s are a l s o given f o r t h e case i n
which t h e l i f t and t h e bending moment about t h e wing r o o t are fixed while
t h e span i s allowed t o vary. The r e s u l t s show a 15-percent reduction of
t h e induced drag with a 15-percent increase i n span as compared with
r e s u l t s f o r an e l l i p t i c a l l y loaded wing having t h e s a m e t o t a l l i f t and
bending moment.
INTRODUCTION

I n t h e problem of minimum induced drag as o r i g i n a l l y t r e a t e d by Munk

(references 1 and 2) t h e span of t h e wing and t h e t o t a l l i f t w e r e supposed
t o be given and t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of l i f t over t h e span r e s u l t i n g i n a mininnun of drag w a s sought. The s o l u t i o n of t h i s problem thus provided a
convenient lower bound f o r t h e induced drag of a wing of given dimensions.
I n t h e p r a c t i c a l design of wings t h e requirements f o r low induced
drag and t h e requirements f o r s t r u c t u r a l s t r e n g t h are opposed. H e r e t h e
bending moment developed by t h e l i f t becomes an important consideramore important i n many cases than t h e a c t u a l spanwise dimension
tion
of t h e wing. Such considerations lead t o t h e problem of determining t h e
minimum drag with l i m i t a t i o n s imposed on t h e bending moment as w e l l as
on t h e t o t a l l i f t . It is t h e purpose of t h e present paper t o show how
t h e methods of t h e earlier a n a l y s i s can be extended i n a very simple way
t o t h e s o l u t i o n of problems involving t h e bending moment of t h e load
distribution.

541

NACA TN 2249
A complete l i s t of symbols employed i n t h e a n a l y s i s w i l l be found i n
t h e appendix.
GENERAL FORMULAS FOR LIFT, DRAG, AND BENDING MOMENT
Reference may b e made t o t h e o r i g i n a l papers of P r a n d t l and Munk
( r e f e r e n c e s 1 and 2 ) , o r t o any of t h e s t a n d a r d t e x t books on aerodynamics,
f o r t h e fundamental developments of wing theory which form t h e b a s i s f o r
t h e c a l c u l a t i o n s of induced drag. I n t h e s e developments t h e o v e r - a l l l i f t
i s given by
+S

rdy
and t h e drag i s given by

(1)

J-S

+S

wi

dy

I n t h e s e formulas t h e wing span i s supposed t o extend along t h e y a x i s

between - s and + s , r is t h e l o c a l c i r c u l a t i o n o r v o r t e x ' s t r e n g t h , and
V i s t h e c o n s t a n t v e l o c i t y of f l i g h t . The induced downwash v e l o c i t y w i
i s v a r i a b l e along t h e span and i s connected with t h e v o r t e x d i s t r i b u t i o n
l' (y) through t h e r e l a t i o n

With t h i s v a l u e f o r W i t h e expression f o r t h e d r a g may be converted t o

a double i n t e g r a l involving t h e spanwise d i s t r i b u t i o n of l i f t as repres e n t e d by t h e c i r c u l a t i o n s t r e n g t h I'

This i n t e g r a l may b e reduced t o a more symmetric form i f i t i s i n t e g r a t e d

by p a r t s on t h e s u p p o s i t i o n t h a t I' f a l l s t o zero a t t h e wing t i p s . Thus1

lThe v a l i d i t y of e q u a t i o n s ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) , and ( 5 ) can b e demonstrated by

r e f e r r i n g t o t h e l i m i t i n g v a l u e s of complex i n t e g r a l s taken along a p a t h
a s h o r t d i s t a n c e above t h e s i n g u l a r p o i n t on t h e real axis. I n t h e case
of equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) t h i s process y i e l d s t h e Cauchy p r i n c i p a l value.

542

NACA TN 2249
I n mathematical terms t h e problem i s t o minimize t h e double i n t e g r a l ,
equation (5), w h i l e holding f i x e d v a l u e s of

L = pV

lS+'

I' dy

and

where B is t h e bending moment s p e c i f i e d about t h e p o i n t so. For t h e

t i m e being so w i l l b e taken as t h e o r i g i n , o r wing r o o t ( s o = 0),
although later another example w i l l appear.
Although t h e d e r i v a t i o n of t h e formulas f o r induced drag lfiakes use of
t h e concept of t h e l i f t i n g l i n e , i t is important t o n o t e that t h e r e s u l t s
are n o t a c t u a l l y r e s t r i c t e d t o t h i s approximation. According t o Munk's
well-known s t a g g e r theorem t h e induced d r a g of a l i f t i n g s u r f a c e w i l l b e
equal t o t h a t of a l i f t i n g l i n e i f t h e spanwise load d i s t r i b u t i o n s are
t h e same.
It should be noted f u r t h e r t h a t t h e induced drag of a wing having a
given l i f t and a given spanwise l o a d d i s t r i b u t i o n is n o t a f f e c t e d by t h e
c o m p r e s s i b i l i t y of t h e a i r a t subsonic speeds. A t supersonic speeds an
a d d i t i o n a l drag a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e formation of waves arises and t h e
induced drag, which i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e v o r t e x wake, becomes only a
p a r t of t h e t o t a l p r e s s u r e drag.

THE DISTRIBUTION O F DOWNWASH FOR MINIMUM DRAG

I n g e n e r a l , i f t h e d r a g is t o b e a minimum, a s m a l l v a r i a t i o n i n t h e
shape of t h e curve of spanwise loading w i l l produce no f i r s t - o r d e r change
i n t h e drag. The v a r i a t i o n i n shape may t a k e t h e form of a small a d d i t i o n
t o t h e o r i g i n a l loading; i t i s t h e n necessary t o f i n d c o n d i t i o n s under
which t h e d r a g added by a s m a l l a d d i t i o n a l loading i s zero.
The s o l u t i o n of t h i s l a t t e r problem i s rendered e s p e c i a l l y simple
by t h e mutual drag theorem ( r e f e r e n c e l ) , which arises from t h e e v i d e n t
symmetry of t h e i n t e g r a l t o b e minimized (equation ( 5 ) ) . The theorem
states t h a t i f t h e l i f t d i s t r i b u t i o n (represented by I' (y)) i s t h e sum
of two d i s t r i b u t i o n s r l , and I'2,
t h e drag of I'l a r i s i n g from t h e
downwash f i e l d of r2 i s e x a c t l y equal t o t h e drag of r2 a r i s i n g from
t h e downwash of

543

NACA TN 2249
Consider now an i n i t i a l d i s t r i b u t i o n designed t o achieve minimum
drag. (See f i g . 1.) The drag added by a s m a l l a d d i t i o n a l loading w i l l
be composed of t h r e e p a r t s , namely:

1. The drag of t h e a d d i t i o n a l l i f t a c t i n g alone

2. The drag of t h e o r i g i n a l loading a r i s i n g from t h e downwash
f i e l d of t h e a d d i t i o n a l loading
3. 'J$e drag of t h e a d d i t i o n a l loading induced by t h e downwash f i e l d
of t h e o r i g i n a l loading

I t e m 1 i s of second order i n terms of t h e magnitude of t h e added l i f t f o r

(The f a c t
smooth d i s t r i b u t i o n s , t h a t is, so-called "weak variations."
t h a t t h i s second-order t e r m is i n v a r i a b l y p o s i t i v e insures t h a t t h e drag
w i l l be a minimum and not a maximum.) Items 2 and 3 are equal by t h e
mutual drag theorem. The f i r s t - o r d e r v a r i a t i o n i n drag can then be computed by considering only t h e drag of t h e small a d d i t i o n a l l i f t a c t i n g i n
t h e induced downwash f i e l d wi(y) of t h e o r i g i n a l l i f t .
The conditions of fixed bending moment and fixed t o t a l ' l i f t are m e t
by allowing only those curves of l i f t v a r i a t i o n t h a t produce no change i n
these q u a n t i t i e s , t h a t is, curves having zero area and zero moment. It
can b e seen t h a t such curves of v a r i a t i o n must have a t least t h r e e elements t o m e e t t h e conditions of zero area and zero moment. Furthermore,
any curve meeting t h e s e conditions can be subdivided i n t o groups of t h r e e
elements so t h a t t h e individual groups a l s o s a t i s f y t h e conditions.
Hence, as t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of such r e s t r i c t e d curves of v a r i a t i o n w e
may adopt t h r e e small elements having areas 21, 22, and Z3 ( f i g . 1 ) .
These elements, together with t h e i r p o s i t i o n s y l , y2, and y3 and t h e
l o c a l values of t h e downwash w , etc., due t o t h e o r i g i n a l loading
must s a t i s f y t h e following t h r e I1
e equations:

+ 22 + Z3 = 0

>

for

6L = 0,

Zl

for

6B = 0,

Z l Y l + Z2Y2 + Z3Y3 = 0

for

6 D i = 0,

Zlwil

+ Z2wi2 + Z3wi3

= 0

It can b e seen t h a t t h e s e equations w i l l be c o n s i s t e n t if w i l

a+byl,
w
a+by2 and wi3
a+by3, where a and b are constants t o be
52
determined from t h e given conditions. Since such equations must be satis,
e t c . , i t is concluded t h a t , i n general,
f i e d f o r a l l p o s i t i o n s y ~ y2,

wi - a + b y

(9)

NACA TN 2249

Hence, f o r a minimum induced drag with a given t o t a l l i f t and a given

bending moment t h e dowzlwash must show a l i n e a r v a r i a t i o n along t h e span.2
(See f i g . 2.)
The foregoing method may be r'eadily extended t o a more general class
of problems involving bending moments o r r o l l i n g moments. Suppose, f o r
example, a braced wing i s considered, as i n t h e dotted o u t l i n e of f i g u r e 3. I n t h i s case t h e bending moment developed by t h a t portion of t h e
l i f t a c t i n g inboard of t h e point of bracing attachment may be of no concern, b u t it may b e d e s i r e d t o l i m i t t h e bending moment developed by t h a t
portion of t h e spanwise load curve extending between t h i s point and t h e
t i p . I n t h i s case so w i l l not be zero. A t least t h r e e elements are
required t o preserve s t a t i o n a r y values of t h e l i f t and bending moment,
and it i s evident that at least two of t h e elements must l i e t o t h e r i g h t
of t h e point sQ. The t h r e e simultaneous equations are (see f i g . 2):

Here y2 and y3 are t o t h e r i g h t of t h e point so and y1 l i e s t o t h e

l e f t of t h i s point. For t h e s e equations3 t o be c o n s i s t e n t wi must have
t h e form

yil

- a;

wi
2

a+b(y2-s0);

wi3

- a+b(yg-s0)

Hence, i n general, t h e downwash w i l l be a constant over t h e portion of t h e

span f o r which t h e moment i s not s p e c i f i e d , as i l l u s t r a t e d i n f i g u r e 3.
I f no r e s t r i c t i o n whatever i s placed on t h e moment t h e r e is obtained t h e
s o l u t i o n of Munk's o r i g i n a l problem, namely, t h a t t h e downwash should be
constant over t h e e n t i r e span.
21t may be noticed a t t h i s point t h a t , whereas t h e discussion has emphasized t h e i d e a of minimizing t h e drag, t h e a n a l y s i s a c t u a l l y makes no
d i s t i n c t i o n between t h e l i f t , bending moment, o r drag, i n t h a t s t a t i o n a r y values of a l l t h r e e are demanded. Thus equation (9) may be considered a necessary condition f o r t h e s o l u t i o n of t h e following problems:
(1) given t h e t o t a l l i f t and t h e induced drag t o f i n d t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n
of l i f t over t h e span t h a t w i l l r e s u l t i n a minimum bending moment,
and (2) given t h e bending moment and t h e induced drag t o f i n d t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n r e s u l t i n g i n t h e maximum t o t a l l i f t .
3See reference 3 f o r a discussion of s o l u t i o n s of such equations.

545

NACA TN 2249

Determination of Span Loading and Induced

Drag From t h e Downwash D i s t r i b u t i o n
The case of b i l a t e r a l symmetry with moment s p e c i f i e d about t h e
r o o t s e c t i o n w i l l serve as an example of t h e c a l c u l a t i o n of t h e a c t u a l
span loading and induced drag. It w i l l be evident from t h e foregoing
t h a t t h e downwash d i s t r i b u t i o n w i l l c o n s i s t of two s t r a i g h t - l i n e
segments w i t h a reversal of s l o p e a t t h e plane of symmetry. It is then
necessary t o compute t h e spanwise v a r i a t i o n of T corresponding t o
such a curve of downwash.
To perform t h i s c a l c u l a t i o n by standard methods of a i r f o i l theory,
use is made of t h e i d e a t h a t a t a g r e a t d i s t a n c e behind t h e wing t h e
v o r t e x s h e e t forms a two-dimensional f i e l d of motion, with t h e discont i n u i t y i n t h e l a t e r a l v e l o c i t y a c r o s s t h e s h e e t given by dr/dy, and
t h e downwash w given by t w i c e t h e v a l u e of t h e induced downwash wi
a t t h e wing. Hence, t h e q u a n t i t y 1 / 2 (dI'/dy) - 2iwi can be evaluated
by means of t h e f a m i l i a r complex v e l o c i t y f u n c t i o n v - i w of t h e twodimensional p o t e n t i a l theory using f o r v i t s value j u s t abbve t h e
v o r t e x sheet. I n t h i s theory i f t h e v e r t i c a l component of v e l o c i t y w
i s given along t h e l i n e r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e trace of t h e span, then t h e
v e l o c i t y v e c t o r a t any o t h e r p o i n t i n t h e f i e l d 5 = y + i z may b e
obtained from t h e r e l a t i o n (reference 4)

A s noted above,

-dr- -

v(y

dY

+ o i l - v(y -

Introducing w = a + b y f o r y > 0 and

equation (11) y i e l d s , a f t e r i n t e g r a t i o n ,

o i ) = 2vfy

w = a

- by

+ oil
for

y < 0

into

and hence

= 2 (a

$)

,/-+

lr

y2 cosh-'

S
IYI

The spanwise loading t h u s c o n t a i n s t h e e l l i p t i c a l d i s t r i b u t i o n as one

component.

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NACA TN 2249
Equation (13) f o r t h e spanwise d i s t r i b u t i o n of c i r c u l a t i o n enables
t h e determination of t h e over-all l i f t , bending moment, and drag i n t e r m s
of t h e unassigned constants a and b. The u s e of equations (2), ( 6 ) ,
and (7), together with t h e wing semispan s, y i e l d s t h e following values:

B = 0Vs3

Di =

f 6a

+Ibs)

a
b
2VL+VB

It i s convenient t o specify t h e bending moment of t h e l i f t i n t e r m s of

t h e l a t e r a l p o s i t i o n of t h e centroid, o r c e n t e r of pressure, of t h e load
curve. The l a t e r a l c e n t r o i d as a f r a c t i o n of t h e semispan s may be
denoted by y' ( i . e . , y' = 2B/Ls). Then, solving f o r a and b,

The expression f o r induced drag i n terms of t h e l i f t and t h e l a t e r a l

center of pressure becomes

If
This equation y i e l d s t h e minimum drag f o r t h e given p o s i t i o n of y'.
t h e lateral c e n t e r of pressure i s s p e c i f i e d so as t o coincide with t h a t
f o r an e l l i p t i c a l loading (i.e., b = 0; y' = 4/33), then t h e above
formula reduces t o

The optimum d i s t r i b u t i o n of loading f o r a given p o s i t i o n of t h e centroid

y 9 may be obtained from equation (13) with t h e a i d of equations (15).
The r e s u l t i s

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NACA TN 2249

Drag f o r a Given Bending Moment with Unrestricted Span

The foregoing c a l c u l a t i o n s show, as w a s t o be expected, t h a t t h e
e l l i p t i c loading y i e l d s a smaller drag than any of t h e o t h e r s within a
r e s t r i c t e d span. However, i f t h e r e s t r i c t i o n on the span is removed,
s t i l l lower values of t h e induced drag can be obtained without any
increase i n t h e bending moment a t t h e wing root. The lower values are
obtained by permitting t h e span t o increase and a t t h e s a m e t i m e adopting a more tapered form of t h e loading curve.
Equation (16) which contains t h e t h r e e v a r i a b l e s l i f t , span, and
c e n t e r of pressure can be e a s i l y rearranged t o show t h e v a r i a t i o n of
drag with span when t h e bending moment and t h e l i f t are held a t fixed
values. I n t h i s case, t h e lateral p o s i t i o n of t h e c e n t e r o f pressure
y's w i l l be fixed, while t h e form and extent s of t h e load curve w i l l
vary. I n order t o provide a convenient b a s i s f o r comparison t h e span
and shape of t h e load curves w i l l be r e l a t e d t o t h e e l l i p t i c loading.
I f S/Se denotes t h e r a & h of t h e semispan of t h e wing t o that of an
e l l i p t i c a l l y loaded wing having t h e s a m e t o t a l l i f t and bending moment,
then equation (16) can be rewritten:

The q u a n t i t y i n t h e bracket is t h e r a t i o of t h e induced drag t o that of

t h e corresponding e l l i p t i c a l l y loaded wing. This r a t i o i s p l o t t e d i n
f i g u r e 4 t o show t h e decrease of drag p o s s i b l e by increase of t h e span.
The forms of load curve required f o r t h e minimum drag a t various values
of s/se are shown i n f i g u r e 5 .
It w i l l be noted t h a t a 15-percent reduction of t h e induced drag
below t h a t f o r e l l i p t i c loading can be achieved with a 15-percent
i n c r e a s e i n span. Further increases of span between 15 percent and
50 percent (s = 1.15 t o 1.50) y i e l d no s i g n i f i c a n t reductions, however.
A t s t i l l l a r g e r values of s t h e drag becomes lower, and approaches zero
a t an i n f i n i t e value of s. For extreme values of s/se t h e curves begin
t o show negative loadings a t t h e t i p s and eventually t h e bending moment
a t c e r t a i n p o i n t s along t h e span w i l l exceed t h a t a t t h e wing root.

Ames Aeronautical Laboratory

National Advisory Committee f o r Aeronautics,
Moffett Field, C a l i f . , Sept. 25, 1950.

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NACA TN 2249
APPENDIX
DEFINITIONS OF SYMBOLS

total l i f t

element of l i f t

Di induced drag

bending moment

air density

circulation

wi

induced downwash velocity a t wing

downwash velocity, a t i n f i n i t y

lateral v e l o c i t y

velocity of f l i g h t

Y,rl

distances along wing semispan

60

point of orggin f o r bending moment

length of wing semispan

lateral position of load centroid as a f r a c t i o n of

a,b

constants

( w

2wi)

549

NACA TN 2249

REFERENCES

1.

Munk, Max M . :
1921.

2.

Applications o f Modern Hydrodynamics t o Aeronautics.

Prandtl, L.:
NACA Rep. 116, 1921.

3.

Bocher, Maxime: Introduction t o Higher Algebra.

N. Y . 1907, p. 49.

4.

Munk, Max M . :
Elements o f t h e Wing Section Theory and o f the Wing
Theory. NACA Rep. 191, 1924.

550

The Minimum Induced Drag of A e r o f o i l s .

NACA Rep. 121,

The MacMillan e o . ,

NACA TN 2249

-=T$$&7

FiGURE 1.- SPANWISE LOAD CURVE WITH THREE

ELEMENTS OF VARIATION

a + by

551

5 52

1.

Lr,

n
W

a
I-

zi W

I
(3 I-

L
r
d
a

NACA TN 2249

NACA TN 2249

553

554