Various Structural Approaches to Analyze an Aircraft with High Aspect Ratio Wings

Abstract

Aeroelastic analysis of an aircraft with a high aspect ratio wing for medium altitude and long endurance capability was attempted in this paper. In order to achieve such an objective, various structural models were adopted. The traditional approach has been based on a one-dimensional Euler-Bernoulli beam model. The structural analysis results of the present beam model were compared with those by the three-dimensional NASTRAN finite element model. In it, a taper ratio of 0.5 was applied; it was comprised of 21 ribs and 3 spars, and included two control surfaces. The relevant unsteady aerodynamic forces were obtained by using ZAERO, which is based on the doublet lattice method that considers flow compressibility. To obtain the unsteady aerodynamic force, the structural mode shapes and natural frequencies were transferred to ZAERO. Two types of unsteady aerodynamic forces were considered. The first was the unsteady aerodynamic forces which were based on the one-dimensional beam shape; the other was based on the three-dimensional FEM model shape. These two types of aerodynamic forces were compared, and applied to the foregoing flutter analysis. The ultimate goal of the present research is to analyze the possible interaction between the rigid-body degrees of freedom and the aeroelastic modes. This will be achieved after the development of a reliable nonlinear beam formulation that would validate the current results as well as enable a thorough investigation of the nonlinearity. Moreover, such analysis will allow for an examination of the above-mentioned interaction between the flight dynamics and aeroelastic modes with the inclusion of the rigid body degrees of freedom.