Numerical Study of a Transonic Aircraft Wing for the Prediction of Flutter Failure

Abstract

In the present paper, computational analysis has been carried out to assess the coupled fluid–structure interaction using NASTRAN finite element approach. A straight swept wing of aluminum material is studied at transonic zone. Analysis has been carried out to find the natural frequency by fluid–structure interaction, then adopting its natural frequency to calculate the reduced frequency for analyzing the flutter effectiveness. A typical case study of plate has been carried out for better understanding the flutter which was then adopted for the swept wing. A fluid–structure interaction phenomenon provides an additional energy to the moving object in terms of frequency in transonic zone. In this speed zone, the divergence speed results a drag that leads to the object to be in a stronger twisting mode resulting in catastrophic failure of the aircraft. The study has defined the flutter boundary of the wing in terms of velocity and frequency which will be very useful in preventing the flutter failure of the aircraft wing through appropriate design improvement or through restriction operational regime.