The need for weight-optimised aerospace structures results in flexible structures with highly nonlinear behaviour. Their control presents challenges that require control theory be developed in order to enable the trend toward lighter structures to continue. Two classes of problem of particular interest in control are systems with a high degree of nonlinearity inherent in the structure and those...

A computational method for accurately predicting the static aeroelastic deformations of typical transonic transport wind tunnel models is described. The method utilizes a finite element method (FEM) for predicting the deformations. Extensive calibratiodvalidation of this method was carried out using a novel wind-off wind tunnel model static loading experiment and wind-on optical wing twist meas...

Level-set topology optimization is used to design a wing considering skin buckling under static aeroelastic trim loading, as well as dynamic aeroelastic stability (flutter). The level-set function is defined over the entire 3D volume of a transport aircraft wing box. Therefore, the approach is not limited by any predefined structure and can explore novel configurations. The Sequential Linear Pr...

Freeplay is one of the most important nonlinearities that affect the control surfaces of the aircraft; it can induce flutter phenomena and limit the performances of the same airplane. To investigate the effect of control surface freeplay, an aeroelastic wind tunnel model of a T-tail has been developed. A variable amplitude freeplay has been introduced in the control chain by a specifically desi...

The investigation of flutter and aeroservoelastic stability through flight testing is an essential part of aircraft certification. The stability boundary prediction is especially difficult when the instability is associated with nonlinearity in the dynamics. This paper presents an approach for the characterization of the nonlinear dynamics by non-iterative identification algorithms. Two differe...

Abstract. In this work an alternative beam finite element for rapid time-domain flutter analysis of wings equipped with trailing edge control surfaces, generally distributed along the span, is presented. The aeroelastic proposed based on Euler-Bernoulli theory, De St. Venant torsion theory and two-dimensional unsteady aerodynamics. developed model attractive preliminary aero-servo-elastic analy...

We study three internally connected Sturm-Liouville problems for nonlinear ordinary differential equations that are motivated by the problem of aeroelastic instability. Solutions are analyzed and asymptotic results are presented. A numerical study using a development of simple shooting reveals the spectrum and corresponding eigenfunctions.

Through aeroelastic modeling of membrane wings such as Leading Edge Inflatable (LEI) tube kites used in Airborne Wind applications, one can gain a better understanding of processes relevant for flight stability and performanceoptimization. Theaimof thisproject is toestablish abaseline for apartitionedaeroelastic solver suitable for membrane wings at high Reynolds numbers by coupling high fideli...