Flutter analysis of a NACA 64A006 airfoil in small disturbance transonic flow

Abstract

Flutter analyses are performed for a NACA 64A006 airfoil pitching and plunging in small-disturbance, unsteady transonic flow. Aerodynamic coefficients are obtained for M^ = 0.7, 0.8, 0.85, 0.8625, and 0.87, and for various values of low reduced frequencies. Two computer codes are used: 1) STRANS2 and UTRANS2 based upon the relaxation method and 2) LTRAN2 based upon the time-integration (indicial) method. Flutter results are presented as plots of flutter speed and corresponding reduced frequency vs one of the four parameters: airfoil/air mass density ratio, position of mass center, position of elastic axis, and freestream Mach number. In each figure, several sets of curves for different values of plunge/pitch frequency ratios are shown. The two sets of results based upon the two separate computer codes are, in general, in good agreement. For a special flutter analysis of a flat plate at M^ =0.7, the present methods agree well with the linear flat plate theory. The effect of each parameter on the trend of each curve of flutter speed is discussed in detail. The examples demonstrate the dip phenomenon of the curves for flutter speed in the transonic regime. Flutter results of transonic codes are compared with those obtained by linear flat plate theory.