Static and Dynamic Aeroelasticity of Advanced Aircraft Wings Carrying External Stores

Abstract

A study of the static and dynamic aeroelasticity of aircraft wings carrying external stores is presented. The wing structure is modeled as a laminated composite plate exhibiting flexibility in transverse shear and including warping restraint effects. The relevant equations of motion and boundary conditions are obtained via Hamilton's variational principle and application of generalized function theory. To achieve a realistic representation of the store influence on static and dynamic behavior of the system, static weights, as well as dynamic inertias of the stores, are considered. For the problem at hand, three-dimensional strip theory aerodynamics is employed. The obtained eigenvalue/boundary value problems are being solved by application of the extended Galerkin method. The solution procedure is used to investigate the implications of external stores on static aeroelastic response, divergence, free vibration, and flutter. 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.