UltraFLoads: A Simulation Suite and Framework for High-Fidelity Flight Loads

Abstract

With the progress of high-performance computing, computationally expensive high-fidelity methods can be applied early in the design process of an aircraft. This enables Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for the assesment of flight performance, handling qualities, flight loads due to manoeuver or gusts, and stability such as flutter. Those aeroealstic analyses require coupling of disciplines to adequately address the interplay of flexibility, aerodynamic forces and inertia forces. Previous work at the German Aerospace Center have demonstrated the proof of concept for those multidisciplinary analyses. Now, UltraFLoads is a simulation suite in the FlowSimulator ecosystem to offer standardized, multidisciplinary scenarios. UltraFLoads can be used as a tool, as a library and as a framework. This work describes the architecture, the integration layers, which scenarios are available and which equations are used. Three different applications are presented. The first case involves a steady fluid–structure-coupled simulation with geometrically nonlinear deformation. The second case compares the deformation of a simulated elastic, free-flying aircraft with actual flight test data. The last application demonstrates the flight dynamic capabilities with a bank to bank maneuver.