Aeroelastic loads predictions using finite element aerodynamics

Abstract

Aerodynamic and structural influence coefficients are utilized to determine the load distributions, deflections, and trim parameters for a vehicle in quasi-static aeroelastic equilibrium. A matrix formulation is used to solve the various quasi-static aeroelastic problems. Nonlinearities in the aeroelastic trim equations are accounted for by an iteration of the classical closed form solution. Aerodynamic and structural idealizations are related by a surface spline transformation. Solutions are developed for symmetric, antisymmetric, and asymmetric load conditions on symmetric vehicles of general geometric shapes which may include both lifting surfaces and lifting bodies. INTRODUCTION With the advent of large order matrix solutions for the analysis of complex structures a need has arisen for a complementary approach to the external loads problem. Finite element structural analysis techniques demand that the external loads be distributed over the structure at discrete points. Therefore, shear, moment, and torque distributions along a psuedoelastic axis are no longer sufficient to define the external load distributions required by the stress analysis. A general finite element approach to the problem of the determination of aeroelastic loads on a flexible vehicle flying in a state of quasi-static equilibrium is presented here. The vector point loads available from this solution are directly applicable to matrix structural analyses. Structural and aerodynamic influence coefficients obtained from finite element idealizations of the aircraft are utilized as a basis for the method. The technique is primarily an extension of the method first suggested by ~ e d m a n ( l ) * and later generalized by odde en.(^) This work extends the efforts of the above-mentioned authors by * Numbers in parentheses designate References at end of paper.