Structural and aeroelastic modeling of general planform UCAV wings with morphing airfoils

Abstract

By use of equivalent plate modeling, an efe cient method has been developed to study the structural behavior and static aeroelastic response of general builtup wing structures composed of skins, spars, and ribs. The model includestransversesheareffectsby treating the wing as a plate, following the e rst-order sheardeformation theory. The equations ofmotion arederived using theRitz method with Legendrepolynomials as trial functions. To model arbitrary wing planforms, the wing is composed of two plates, connected by distributed translatory and rotary springsofveryhighstiffness.Thestructuralmodelhasbeenvalidatedforasetofexamplesbycomparingtheresults withtheonesobtained fromMSC/NASTRAN.Adistributedactuationschemeallowsthemodie cationofwingtwist and camber for maneuver control of the vehicle. The model has been applied to study the roll performance of a e apless smart wing with morphing airfoils. It has been shown that a wing without conventional, hinged control surfaces can exhibit improved roll performance and an increased roll reversal speed due to both aerodynamic and structural advantages.