Development of finite element model for morphing inflatable winglet

Abstract

In the present paper a development of a finite element model for inflatable winglet structure will be introduced. Most conventional aircrafts are equipped with fixed winglets to decrease the induced drag; thus, saving more fuel. New projects point towards advanced smart materials and telescopic wing tip devices to obtain an adaptive morphing shape that gives, through performances improvement, a fuel consumption reduction resulting in less pollutants. The focus of this paper is to characterize the behavior of inflatable winglet in terms of inflated and deflated shapes in a multi-bumps configuration. The effect of the material properties on the inflation time and shape will be evaluated. The process used to create a finite element model of the winglet will be presented. Modeling assumptions and dynamic inflation simulation method will be discussed.