Aeroelasticity

V.Chadurvedi1, H.Keerthi2 Karpagam Institute of Technology 1 chadurvedisahi92@gmail.com

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Abstract:
The term Aero elasticity is the science which deals with the interaction among inertial, elastic and aerodynamic forces and influence of this interaction in airplane design. The flexibility of modern airplane is the main reason for this interaction. This is still dynamic, challenging and a key part of cutting edge airplane technology .So in this topic we will discuss the Emerging trends as well as challenges, the need in the field of airplane elasticity and construction of airplane.

forces on an elastic structure. Mass properties are not significant in the calculations of this type of phenomena. DIVERGENCE Divergence occurs when a lifting surface deflects under aerodynamic load so as to increase the applied load, or move the load so that the twisting effect on the structure is increased. The increased load deflects the structure further, which brings the structure to the limit loads and to failure. CONTROL SURFACE REVERSAL Control surface reversal is the loss (or reversal) of the expected response of a control surface, due to structural deformation of the main lifting surface. DYNAMIC AERO ELASTICITY Dynamic Aero elasticity studies the interactions among aerodynamic, elastic, and inertial forces. Examples of dynamic aeroelastic phenomena are: FLUTTER:

INTRODUCTION Aero elasticity is still dynamic, challenging, and a key part of cutting-edge airplane technology. Emerging trends, as well as challenges and needs in the field of airplane aero elasticity, are surveyed and discussed. The paper complements other overview papers on various aspects of the. Fixed-wing aeroelastic problem, published recently for the centennial year of light. It includes an extensive bibliography and emphasizes those aspects of aeroelastic technology development not covered thoroughly elsewhere. The branch of applied mechanics which deals with the interaction of aerodynamic, inertial and structural forces. It is important in the design of airplanes, helicopters, missiles, suspension bridges, power lines, tall chimneys, and even stop signs. Variations on the term aeroelasticity have been coined to denote additional significant interactions. Aerothermoelasticity is concerned with effects of aerodynamic heating on aeroelastic behavior in high-speed flight. Aeroservoelasticity deals with the interaction of automatic controls and aeroelastic response and stability. In the field of hydro elasticity, a liquid rather than air generates the fluid forces. TYPES OF AERO ELASTICITY: Steady Dynamic STEADY AERO ELASTICITY Steady aero elasticity studies the interaction between aerodynamic and elastic

Flutter is a self-feeding and potentially destructive vibration where aerodynamic forces on an object couple with a structure's natural mode of vibration to produce rapid periodic motion. Flutter can occur in any object within a strong fluid flow, under the conditions that a positive feedback occurs between the structure's natural vibration and the aerodynamic forces. That is,

that the vibrational movement of the object increases an aerodynamic load, which in turn drives the object to move further. If the energy during the period of aerodynamic excitation is larger than the natural damping of the system, the level of vibration will increase, resulting in self-exciting oscillation. The vibration levels can thus build up and are only limited when the aerodynamic or mechanical damping of the object matches the energy input, which often results in large amplitudes and can lead to rapid failure. Because of this, structures exposed to aerodynamic forces - including wings, aerofoils, but also chimneys and bridges - are designed carefully within known parameters to avoid flutter. In complex structures where both the aerodynamics and the mechanical properties of the structure are not fully understood, flutter can only be discounted through detailed testing. Even changing the mass distribution of an aircraft or the stiffness of one component can induce flutter in an apparently unrelated aerodynamic component. At its mildest this can appear as a "buzz" in the aircraft structure, but at its most violent it can develop uncontrollably with great speed and cause serious damage to or the destruction of the aircraft. In some cases, automatic control systems have been demonstrated to help prevent or limit flutter-related structural vibration. Flutter can also occur on structures other than aircraft. One famous example of flutter phenomena is the collapse of the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Flutter as a controlled aerodynamic instability phenomenon is used welcomely and positively in wind mills for pumping or generating electricity or other works like making musical tones on ground-mounted devices as well as on musical kites. Flutter is not always a destructive force; recent progress has been made in small scale (table top) wind generators for underserved communities in developing countries, designed specifically to take advantage of this effect. FlutterMill by Peter Allan Sharp (of Oakland, California) and Jonathan Hare (of University of Sussex), March 2007, demonstrated a linear generator run by two flutter wings. Distinctions are made in the wind-energy industry between flutter wings, flip wings, and oscillating tensionallyheld sweeping membrane wings for wing milling.

DYNAMIC RESPONSE Dynamic response or forced response is the response of an object to changes in a fluid flow such as aircraft to gusts and other external atmospheric disturbances. Forced response is a concern in axial compressor and gas turbine design, where one set of aerofoils pass through the wakes of the aerofoils upstream . BUFFETING Buffeting is high-frequency instability, caused by airflow separation or shock wave oscillations from one object striking another. It is caused by a sudden impulse of load increasing. It is a random forced vibration. Generally it affects the tail unit of the aircraft structure due to air flow downstream of the wing. PREDICTION AND CURE Aero elasticity involves not just the external aerodynamic loads and the way they change but also the structural, damping and mass characteristics of the aircraft. Prediction involves making a mathematical model of the aircraft as a series of masses connected by springs and dampers which are tuned to represent the dynamic characteristics of the aircraft structure. The model also includes details of applied aerodynamic forces and how they vary. The model can be used to predict the flutter margin and, if necessary, test fixes to potential problems. Small carefully-chosen changes to mass distribution and local structural stiffness can be very effective in solving aeroelastic problems. REMEDY ACTIVE AEROELASTIC WING: Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) Technology is multidisciplinary in that it integrates air vehicle aerodynamics, active controls, and structural aeroelastic behavior to maximize air vehicle performance. The concept uses wing aeroelastic flexibility for a net benefit and enables the use of high aspect ratio, thin, swept wings that are aeroelastically deformed into shapes for optimum performance. This makes it possible to achieve the multi-point aerodynamic performance

required of future fighter, bomber, and transport aircraft.

the ailerons on the wings used to roll an aircraft work by increasing or decreasing the lift of the outer portion of one wing, while doing the opposite on the other wing. This imbalance in lift forces causes the aircraft to rotate around its length axis. The effects of ailerons on lift are complex; some of their effect can be attributed to the change in overall curvature of the wing as a result of their movement, while some of it is due to Newtonian deflection of the airflow. It is the latter effect that is considered to be detrimental. When the aileron is deployed, the airflow is deflected at a point well behind the center of lift. This creates a torque around the span axis of the wing, which "flattens" it in relation to the airflow and reduces the effectiveness of the aileron input. Although this effect is quite small at low speeds, at higher speeds the amount of airflow over the surface can be considerable, enough to cause the entire wing to flex, an effect known as aeroelasticity. Since the control force of the aileron is a function of speed, and an aircraft has to be maneuverable at landing and takeoff speeds, there is a lower limit to the size of the control surfaces that can be used. In some cases, like the Supermarine Spitfire and Mitsubishi Zero, this meant that at faster speeds the forces on the controls were extremely high. In the case of the Spitfire, these forces acted on a very thin wing that was highly elastic, and in dives the wing would twist so much that the lift curve was opposed to the motion of the aileron, reversing the direction of the roll. This problem required several rounds of upgrades to correct. ACTIVE CONTROLS The same problems affect modern aircraft as well, but are engineered to be less noticeable. To start with, an improvement in materials and design has greatly improved the stiffness of the wing, reducing the magnitude of the problem. Once the plane is built and flown, the flight control software is then adjusted to correct for the loss of control due to aeroelasticity. However, this simply hides the problem; the aeroelasticity still exists and is affecting the overall control authority. To correct this the flight controller uses more control input to offset any loss of effectiveness, which increases the torque loads on the aircraft.

AAW Technology employs wing aeroelastic flexibility for a net benefit through use of multiple leading and trailing edge control surfaces activated by a digital flight control system. At higher dynamic pressures, AAW control surfaces are used as "tabs" which are deflected into the air stream in a manner that produces favorable wing twist instead of the reduced control generally associated with aileron reversal caused by trailing edge surfaces. The energy of the air stream is employed to twist the wing with very little control surface motion. The wing itself creates the control forces. As AAW attempts to promote and use favorable wing twist response at high speeds, it is viewed as a return to an idea first pioneered by the Wright Brothers. Active aeroelastic wing technology is a design approach that enables a higher aspect ratio, more aerodynamically efficient wing. Further, an active aeroelastic wing can be used to reduce induced drag at low wing strain conditions and, at higher strain conditions, reduce maneuver air loads. Overall benefits of AAW technology to future systems include substantially increased control power, reduced aerodynamic drag, reduced aircraft structural weight, and increased design latitude in terms of wing span, sweep, and thickness. Depending on mission requirements, these benefits should mean significant reductions in air vehicle takeoff gross weight and production costs. AEROELASTICITY AND CONTROLS An aircraft maneuvers by deploying flight control surfaces into the airflow, which modify the lift of the surface they are attached to. For instance,

AAW developed from the simple observation that the aeroelasticity can be offset by the deployment of other control surfaces on the wing. In particular, almost all modern aircraft use some form of slat along the wing's leading edge to provide more lift during certain portions of flight. By deploying the slats at the same time as the ailerons, the torque can be equaled out on either side of the spars, eliminating the twisting, which improves the control authority of the ailerons. This means that less aileron input is needed to produce a given motion, which, in turn, will reduce aileron drag and its associated negative control aspects. Better yet, the wing is already designed to be extremely strong in the lift component, eliminating the torque requires lift, converting the undesired torque into an acceptable lift component. But if one can use the controls to eliminate the twisting and its negative effects on control input, the next step is to deliberately introduce a twisting component to improve the control authority. When applied correctly, the wing will twist less and in an opposite direction to a conventional wing during maneuvering.[2] So this change, which can be accomplished in software, has numerous benefits to overall performance. AAW TESTING To test the AAW theory, NASA and the USAF agreed to fund development of a single demonstrator, based on the F/A-18. Work started by taking an existing F/A-18 airframe modified with a preproduction pre roll mod wing, and added an outboard leading edge flap drive system and an updated flight control computer. Active aeroelastic wing control laws were developed to flex the wing and flight instrumentation was used to accurately measure the aeroelastic performance of the wing planform. Flight software was then modified for flight testing, and the aircraft first flew in modified form in

November 2002.[3] The aircraft successfully proved the viability of the concept in full scale during roll maneuver testing in 2004-2005. The test aircraft was re-designated X-53 on August 16, 2006, per memo by USAF Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Programs. REFERENCES
1. 2. 3. 4. Active Aeroelastic Wing flight research vehicle receives X-53 designation Active Aeroelastic Wing Active Aeroelastic Wing Takes First Flight Miller, G.D., "Active Flexible Wing (AFW) Technology," Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories TR-87-3096, February, 1988. Miller, G.D., "AFW Design Methodology Study", Rockwell-Aerospace Report No. NA 94-1731, December 1994. Pendleton, E., Griffin, K., Kehoe, M., and Perry, B., "A Flight Research Program for Active Aeroelastic Wing Technology," Paper 96-1574, Proceedings of the 37th AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1517 April 1996. Zillmer, S., "Integrated Multidisciplinary Optimization for Aeroelastic Wing Design, Wright Laboratory TR-97-3087, August, 1997. Zillmer, S., "Integrated Structure / Maneuver Design Procedure for Active Aeroelastic Wings, Users Manual, Wright Laboratory TR-97-3087, March, 1997. Pendleton, E., Bessette, D., Field P., Miller, G., and Griffin, K., "Active Aeroelastic Wing Flight Research Program: Technical Program & Model Analytical Development," Journal of Aircraft, Volume 37, Number 4, July-August, 2000. Pendleton, E., " Active Aeroelastic Wing, AFRL Technology Horizons, Selected Science and Technology Articles, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 2000. Pendleton, E., "How Active Aeroelastic Wings are a Return to Aviations Beginning and a Small Step to Future Bird-like Wings," Invited Paper, Japan Society of Aeronautical and Space Sciences Aircraft Symposium, Sendai, Japan, October 11, 2000. The Boeing Company, The Active Aeroelastic Wing Flight Research Program (The X-53) Final Report, Volume 1 and II, AFRL-VA-WP-TR-20053082, October, 2005. Pendleton, E., Flick, P., Voracek, D., Reichenbach, E., Griffin, K., Paul, D.,The X-53, A Summary of the Active Aeroelastic Wing Flight Research Program, Paper 07-1855, Proceedings of the 48th AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 23 26, 2007.

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