Aeroelastic Phenomena of Fixed-Wing Aircraft in Transonic and Supersonic Flight Regimes
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Marcel Ilie
Location
Poster 155
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Background
Aeroelasticity is the study of the interaction between aerodynamic forces and elastic bodies. When a deformable structure—such as the fixed-wing of a modern aircraft—is subjected to high-Mach-number flow, the aerodynamic forces exerted by the flow on the wing may significantly deform the wing body, which in turn alters the surrounding fluid flow. Aeroelastic systems such as this are characterized by high interdependency of the fluid and structural domains. Robust knowledge of an aircraft’s aero-structural dynamic response is essential for determining its flight envelope. Aeroelastic effects such as wing deflection are normally damped by an aircraft’s structure and the surrounding fluid continuum. In the absence of sufficient damping, the deformation of the wing and the alteration of the enveloping fluid flow may enter a positive feedback loop, causing the wing’s structure to oscillate repeatedly with increasing severity. This dynamic instability has been termed “flutter” and it is only one of many reasons that aeroelastic phenomena require considerable attention in all stages of the modern aircraft design process. Transonic and supersonic flight regimes are characterized by locally compressible flow regions, leading to the formation of shocks on wing surfaces [1]. Consequently, shock-induced flow separation and transonic buffeting may occur, causing a reduction in lift and negatively impacting an aircraft’s flight characteristics. These phenomena—which have been traditionally examined as compressibility-associated phenomena—are exacerbated by aeroelastic effects such as wingtip oscillation [2]. As computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes continue to innovate, they are finding greater use in the prototyping of new aircraft designs, reducing the quantity of wind tunnel testing required during the initial stages of the design process. Computationally approximating dynamic aeroelastic systems requires that both the fluid and structural domains be modeled. By implementing a computational structural dynamics (CSD) model alongside a CFD solver, high fidelity models can be constructed for dynamic aeroelastic systems which resolve both the fluid and structural domains. Innovative computational models such as these grant valuable engineering insights and support the design of aircraft which are faster, lighter, and safer.
Keywords
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing Student Research Symposium, Aircraft
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (File Not Available for Download)
Start Date
2022 12:00 AM
January 2022
Aeroelastic Phenomena of Fixed-Wing Aircraft in Transonic and Supersonic Flight Regimes
Poster 155
