Large Deflection Model and Optimal Design for a Morphing Wing Leading-Edge Skin

Abstract

Morphing leading edge has great potential to enhance the flight efficiency of a vehicle due to its smooth and seamless surface. To improve the computational efficiency of leading-edge bending deformation, this paper developed a parametric method for modeling the large planar deflection of the flexible skins. Based on the chain beam constrained model, the curvature of the skin is approximated by introducing the parameter of the initial inclination angle. The correctness of the model is verified through tests and finite element analysis. Based on this model, the number and position of driving points, the magnitude of driving force, and the thickness of the skin were optimized with the accuracy of leading-edge bending deformation as the optimization target. The results show that the accuracy of leading-edge bending deformation gradually improves as the number of drive points increases and the driving force range expands. The solution’s accuracy with the driving point’s target position as the driving variable is significantly higher than that of the solution with the driving force magnitude as the variable. The change in skin thickness can provide a local improvement in accuracy for the part of the curvature that has a large variation.