Composite corrugated structures for morphing wing skin applications

Abstract

Composite corrugated structures are known for their anisotropic properties. They exhibitrelatively high stiffness parallel (longitudinal) to the corrugation direction and arerelatively compliant in the direction perpendicular (transverse) to the corrugation. Thus,they offer a potential solution for morphing skin panels (MSPs) in the trailing edgeregion of a wing as a morphing control surface. In this paper, an overview of thework carried out by the present authors over the last few years on corrugatedstructures for morphing skin applications is first given. The second part of the paperpresents recent work on the application of corrugated sandwich structures. Panelsmade from multiple unit cells of corrugated sandwich structures are used as MSPsin the trailing edge region of a scaled morphing aerofoil section. The aerofoilsection features an internal actuation mechanism that allows chordwise length andcamber change of the trailing edge region (aft 35% chord). Wind tunnel testing wascarried out to demonstrate the MSP concept but also to explore its limitations.Suggestions for improvements arising from this study were deduced, one of whichincludes an investigation of a segmented skin. The overall results of this studyshow that the MSP concept exploiting corrugated sandwich structures offers apotential solution for local morphing wing skins for low speed and small air vehicles.