Aeroelasticity

Lecture 2:
Dynamic Aeroelasticity

G. Dimitriadis

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Dynamic Aeroelasticity

•! The full equations of motion can be

readily solved analytically
•! Define x=[h !]T
•! Then assemble the equations of motion
in the form

•! Where M=A+!"b2B
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Solution of Equations

•! Now the equations of motion are of first order,

in the form

•! Such equations can be solved by trying a

solution of the form
•! Where l are the eigenvalues of the system
and can be obtained from the characteristic
polynomial

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Frequency and Damping
•! The absolute values of the eigenvalues are
the natural frequencies, #n=|$|
•! The damping ratios are defined as:
%&=-Re($)/#n
•! The damping ratios are measures of the
amount of damping present in each mode of
vibration
•! It must be kept in mind that both natural
frequencies and damping ratios are functions
of airspeed and air density

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Variation with airspeed

As the airspeed increases, the two natural frequencies approach each other.
One of the damping ratios increases while the other first increases and then
decreases. The critical damping ratio becomes zero and then negative.
Instability ensues. This phenomenon is called flutter and the zero damping
speed is the flutter speed.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Subcritical System response
Solve the
equations of
motion for the
time responses
of the system
from initial
conditions
('(0)=5o).
Time responses
for U=15m/s.
Both pitch and
plunge decay
with time.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Critical System Response
Solve the
equations of
motion for the
time responses
of the system
from initial
conditions
('(0)=5o).
Time responses
for U=18m/s.
Both pitch and
plunge oscillation
amplitudes
remain constant.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Supercritical Responses
Solve the
equations of
motion for the
time responses
of the system
from initial
conditions
('(0)=5o).
Time responses
for U=20m/s.
Both pitch and
plunge oscillation
amplitudes
increase with
time.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Stability Analysis

•! The static divergence and flutter speeds

can also be obtained directly from the
characteristic polynomial
•! This can be achieved using the Routh-
Hurwitz stability criterion.
•! The criterion applies to a polynomial of
the form

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Routh-Hurwitz (1)
•! The system is unstable if
–! any of the coefficients ai is zero or negative
while at least one is positive
–! There is at least one sign change in the
first column of the matrix H
•! The matrix H is given by

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Routh-Hurwitz (2)
•! The condition a0<0 gives the static divergence
condition, K'<"U2ec2!
•! The condition c1<0 yields

•! Which, when expanded, yields a 4th order

polynomial in U.
•! Two of the solutions are U=+0 and U=-0
•! The other two solutions are U=+Uflut and U=-
U=-Uflut

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Flexural axis (1)
The position of the
flexural axis has a
significant effect on both
flutter and static
divergence.
For this flat plate
envelope the flutter
speed is always lower
than the static
divergence speed,
unless xf/c>0.75. This is
due to the fact that the
centre of gravity is at
the half-chord

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Flexural axis (2)
For this NACA 0012
symmetric airfoil, the
centre of gravity is
ahead of the half-chord.
The divergence speed
becomes lower than the
flutter speed at around
xf/c=0.5.
The NACA 0012 has the
same dimensions,
structural stiffness and
mass as the flat plate of
the previous example

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Exercise
•! Using the quasi-steady aeroelastic equations
of motion and Matlab:
–! Create a computer model of a 2D wing with pitch
and plunge degrees of freedom
–! Choose values for all the relevant model
parameters
–! Determine the flutter airspeed and flutter
frequency at sea level
–! What is the effect of altitude on flutter airspeed
and frequency?
–! What is the effect of pitch and plunge stiffness on
flutter airspeed and frequency?
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Reminder
•! The quasi-steady aeroelastic equations of
motion for a pitch-plunge 2D wing are:

where

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Hint
•! For determining the flutter airspeed:
–! You can used Routh-Hurwitz; this will only
work for a 2 degree-of-freedom system.
–! Or, preferably, you can use an eigensolution
coupled with an indirect search; this is the
more general case since it works for any size
of aeroelastic system with any number of
degrees of freedom.
–! You can also used a directed search but this
is more advanced.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Indirect search
•! A trial and error search algorithm for pinpointing a
bifurcation condition, e.g. the flutter condition "=0. The
search is performed in terms of a bifurcation
parameter, e.g. airspeed U.
•! You start at a low airspeed value and evaluate the
criterion ". You keep increasing the airspeed by a
constant amount !U until the flutter condition has been
exceeded, i.e. " < 0.
•! You return one step back, divide the airspeed
increment by 10 and start moving forward again by the
new increment.
•! You stop searching when you have reached the flutter
condition to within sufficient accuracy, e.g. "=-10-6.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Directed search
•! The objective is to reach the flutter condition
"=0. This is equivalent to:
F (U ) = max(Re(! (U ))) = 0
•! This is a nonlinear algebraic equation that
can be solved using the Newton-Raphson
method: !F
"U = #F (U 0 )
!U U 0
•! Where U0 is an initial guess for the flutter
speed and !U is a correction to this guess.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
 Directed search 2
•! Watch out for the following issues:
–! The pitch-plunge aeroelastic system has two
airspeeds at which "=0: U=Uflut and U=0. The
Newton-Raphson solution can converge towards
either of them.
–! Newton-Raphson schemes generally converge to
the solution closest to the initial guess.
–! If the initial guess is very far from a solution, the
Newton-Raphson scheme will not converge.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity