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Parametric structural modelling of fish bone active camber morphing aerofoils

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posted on 2018-03-21, 12:32 authored by Andres E. Rivero, Paul M. Weaver, Jonathan E. Cooper, Benjamin KS. Woods
Camber morphing aerofoils have the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of fixed and rotary wing aircraft by providing significant lift control authority to a wing, at a lower drag penalty than traditional plain flaps. A rapid, mesh-independent and two-dimensional analytical model of the fish bone active camber concept is presented. Existing structural models of this concept are one-dimensional and isotropic and therefore unable to capture either material anisotropy or spanwise variations in loading/deformation. The proposed model addresses these shortcomings by being able to analyse composite laminates and solve for static two-dimensional displacement fields. Kirchhoff–Love plate theory, along with the Rayleigh–Ritz method, are used to capture the complex and variable stiffness nature of the fish bone active camber concept in a single system of linear equations. Results show errors between 0.5% and 8% for static deflections under representative uniform pressure loadings and applied actuation moments (except when transverse shear exists), compared to finite element method. The robustness, meshindependence and analytical nature of this model, combined with a modular, parameter-driven geometry definition, facilitate a fast and automated analysis of a wide range of fish bone active camber concept configurations. This analytical model is therefore a powerful tool for use in trade studies, fluid–structure interaction and design optimisation.

History

Publication

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems;March 4, 2018

Publisher

SAGE

Note

peer-reviewed

Other Funding information

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Composites for Innovation and Science, Royal Society Wolfson, SFI, Royal Academy of Engineering

Language

English

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