Implications of external stores on static and dynamic aeroelasticity of advanced aircraft wings

Abstract

In this paper, the static aeroelastic response arid flutter instability of straight and swept aircraft wings carrying external stores along their span and at their tip are investigated. In this context, a comprehensive structural model for the aircraft wing is used which incorporates flexibility in transverse shear, anisotropy, and warping effects. The relevant equations of motion as well as the appropriate boundary conditions are obtained via Hamilton's Variational Principle and application of generalized function theory in order to exactly consider the spanwise location and properties of the attached stores. To achieve a realistic representation of the store influence upon static and dynamic aeroelastic behavior of the system, static weights and dynamic inertias of the attached stores have been modeled. The obtained eigenvalue/boundary value problems are being solved by application of Extended Galerkin's Method. Comparisons with the very few results highlighting the effects of underwing and tip stores on flutter instability are carried out and excellent agreements with the present predictions are reported. NOMENCLATURE