Application of the modified reduced-order aerodynamics modelling approach to aeroelastic analysis

Abstract

This study presents the application of the Proposed Modified Reduced-Order Aerodynamics Modelling approach for aeroelastic analysis based on the boundary element method (BEM) as a novel approach. The used BEM has the capability to capture the thickness effect and geometric complexity of a general three-dimensional model. In this approach the reduced-order aerodynamic model is defined through the eigenvalue problem of unsteady flow based on the unknown wake singularities. Based on the used aerodynamic model an explicit algebraic form of the aeroelastic equations is derived that reduces computational efforts and complexity. This special feature enables us to determine the aeroelastic instability directly via eigenanalysis of the aeroelastic problem. The eigenanalysis and reduced-order modelling of unsteady flow over a NACA 0012 airfoil are performed as an example and the results are compared with those obtained from conventional reduced-order modelling (CROM) method. The obtained results demonstrate the accuracy and superior efficiency of the present method over the CROM method. The method was then applied to the aeroelastic analyses of a typical section, in order to show the procedure of driving the explicit algebraic form. Furthermore, to illustrate the capability of the method in the handling of the three-dimensional problems, aeroelastic results for a wing are presented and compared with the results of the Theodorsen's aerodynamic theory.