Wing Deformation Research Articles

Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation With Vector-Strain Transformation for High Aspect Ratio Wings

Abstract High aspect ratio wings are potential candidates for use in atmospheric satellites and civil aircraft as they exhibit a low induced drag, which can reduce the fuel consumption. Owing to their slender and light weight configuration, such wings undergo highly flexible aeroelastic static and dynamic deformations that cannot be analyzed using conventional linear analysis methods. An aeroelastic analysis framework based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) can be used to analyze the static and dynamic deformations of high aspect ratio wings. However, owing to the highly nonlinear elastic force, the statically deformed wing shape during steady flight cannot be efficiently obtained via static analyses. Therefore, an ANCF with a vector-strain transformation (ANCF-VST) was proposed in this work. Considering the slender geometry of high aspect ratio wings, the nodal vectors of an ANCF beam element were transformed to the strains. In this manner, a constant stiffness matrix and reduced degrees-of-freedom could be generated while capturing the highly flexible deformations accurately. The ANCF-VST exhibited superior convergence performance and accuracy compared to those of analytical approaches and other nonlinear beam formulations. Moreover, an aeroelastic analysis flow coupling the ANCF-VST and an aerodynamic model based on the unsteady vortex lattice method was proposed to perform the static and dynamic analyses successively. The proposed and existing aeroelastic frameworks exhibited a good agreement in the analyses, which demonstrated the feasibility of employing the proposed framework to analyze high aspect ratio wings.

Stress distribution and deformation in six tie wings Orthodontic bracket during simulated tipping – A finite element analysis

Background and ObjectivesFour tie wings brackets are widely used in orthodontics, while the Six Tie Wings Brackets (STWB) are recently emerging in fixed orthodontic appliances due to their claim for less friction and thus faster teeth movement. The aim of this work was to evaluate the stress distribution and deformation during simulated mesio-distal tipping forces in Stainless Steel (SS) six tie wings orthodontic bracket using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). MethodsA six tie wings bracket (Synergy®, RMO, USA) dimensions were measured using the Vision system and a 3D model of the bracket was constructed. A Finite Element (FE) model was developed and mesio-distal tipping forces of 1.22 N to 1.96 N (125 to 200 gm) in increments were applied on the gingival and incisal slot walls. The stress distribution and deformation were recorded at specific points in the bracket and analyzed. ResultsThe maximum deformation and stress distribution for the mesial and distal tipping forces of 1.96 N were recorded as 0.137 µm and 10.60 MPa respectively. The stress concentration was more at the junction of the slot wall and the slot base. For mesial tipping,the deformation was more on the disto-incisal and mesio-gingival tie wings. Similarly, for distal tipping the deformation was more on the mesio-incisal and disto-gingival tie wings. The mid-tie wings showed minimal deformation during both distal and mesial tipping. ConclusionsOur study visualized both the mesial and distal tipping forces induced stress distribution in the bracket tie wing-slot junctions. The deformation was present maximum in the mesio-incisal and disto-incisal tie wings and minimal in the mid-tie wings. Clinicians should be aware of this behavior of STWB in making decisions to alter the tipping forces in the archwire to compensate for the tie wing deformation in refining the teeth position.

Reconstructing full-field flapping wing dynamics from sparse measurements

Flapping insect wings deform during flight. This deformation benefits the insect’s aerodynamic force production as well as energetic efficiency. However, it is challenging to measure wing displacement field in flying insects. Many points must be tracked over the wing’s surface to resolve its instantaneous shape. To reduce the number of points one is required to track, we propose a physics-based reconstruction method called system equivalent reduction expansion processes to estimate wing deformation and strain from sparse measurements. Measurement locations are determined using a weighted normalized modal displacement method. We experimentally validate the reconstruction technique by flapping a paper wing from 5–9 Hz with 45° and measuring strain at three locations. Two measurements are used for the reconstruction and the third for validation. Strain reconstructions had a maximal error of 30% in amplitude. We extend this methodology to a more realistic insect wing through numerical simulation. We show that wing displacement can be estimated from sparse displacement or strain measurements, and that additional sensors spatially average measurement noise to improve reconstruction accuracy. This research helps overcome some of the challenges of measuring full-field dynamics in flying insects and provides a framework for strain-based sensing in insect-inspired flapping robots.

Application and Improvements of the Wing Deformation Capture with Simulation for Flapping Micro Aerial Vehicle

Wing deformation capture with simulation is a mixed experimental-numerical approach whereby the wing deformation during flapping is captured using high-speed cameras and used as an input for the numerical solver. This is an alternative approach compared to pure experiment or full fluid structure interaction simulation. This study is an update to the previous paper by Tay et al., which aims to address the previous limitations. We show through thrust and vorticity contour plots that this approach can simulate Flapping Micro Aerial Vehiclex (FMAVs) with reasonable accuracy. Next, we use this approach to explain the thrust improvement when an additional rib is added to the original membrane wing, which is due to longer duration for the new wing to open during the fling stage. Lastly, by decreasing the number of points and frames per cycle on the wing, we can simplify and shorten the digitization process. These results show that this approach is an accurate and practical alternative which can be applied to general bio-inspired research.

Influence of wing flexibility on the aerodynamic performance of a tethered flapping bumblebee

The flight of insects has enlightened the flying dream of human beings for centuries. Wing flexibility is often used by insects to increase their flight efficiencies. However, the mechanism of the increased efficiencies still remains mysterious. Prof. Kai Schneider's group studies the aerodynamics of a tethered flapping bumblebee using a mass-spring fluid-structure interaction numerical solver. It indicates that a higher flight efficiency or a larger lift-to-power ratio can be achieved by flapping insects with optimal mechanical properties of the flexible wings. The novel understanding of insects’ body structure and flying behavior will benefit the design of micro-air vehicles (MAVs). The sophisticated structures of flapping insect wings make it challenging to study the role of wing flexibility in insect flight. In this study, a mass-spring system is used to model wing structural dynamics as a thin, flexible membrane supported by a network of veins. The vein mechanical properties can be estimated based on their diameters and the Young's modulus of cuticle. In order to analyze the effect of wing flexibility, the Young's modulus is varied to make a comparison between two different wing models that we refer to as flexible and highly flexible. The wing models are coupled with a pseudo-spectral code solving the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations, allowing us to investigate the influence of wing deformation on the aerodynamic efficiency of a tethered flapping bumblebee. Compared to the bumblebee model with rigid wings, the one with flexible wings flies more efficiently, characterized by a larger lift-to-power ratio.

Combined effects of wrinkled vein structures and nanomechanical properties on hind wing deformation

The veins in the hind wings of the Asian ladybird beetle (Harmonia axyridis) play active roles in flight and in the folding/unfolding of the hind wing. Wrinkled vein structures are located within the bending zone and are used for folding the hind wing. This paper investigates the coupled effect of wrinkled vein structures within the hind wing of H. axyridis on its deformation. Based on the nanomechanical properties of the veins, morphology of the hind wing, surface structures of the veins, and microstructures of the cross sections (including the veins and wing membranes), four 3-D coupling models (Model I and Model II: variably reduced-modulus veins with and without wrinkles, respectively; Model III and Model IV: uniformly reduced-modulus veins with and without wrinkles, respectively) are established. Relative to the bending and twisting model shapes, Model I has much more flexibility during passive deformation to control wing deformations. The simulation results show that both the wrinkled structures in the bending zone and the variably reduced modulus of the veins contribute to the flight performance (the bending and twisting deformations) of the hind wings, which has important implications for the design of the deployable wings of micro air vehicles (MAVs).

Aerodynamic performance of flexible flapping wings deformed by slack angle

Wing flexibility is unavoidable for flapping wing flyers to ensure a lightweight body and for higher payload allowances on board. It also effectively minimizes the inertia force from high-frequency wingbeat motion. However, related studies that attempt to clarify the essence of wing flexibility remain insufficient. Here, a parametric study of a flexible wing was conducted as part of the effort to build an aerodynamic model and analyze its aerodynamic performance. The quasi-steady modeling was adopted with experimentally determined translational forces. These forces were determined from 84 flexible wing cases while varying the angle of attack at the wing root α r and the flexibility parameter, slack angle θ S, with 19 additional rigid wing cases. This study found α r for optimum lift generation to exceed 45° irrespective of θ S. The coefficient curves were well-fitted with a cubed-sine function. The model was rigorously validated with various wing kinematics, giving a good estimation of the experimental results. The estimated error was less than 5%, 6%, and 8% for the lift, drag, and moment, respectively, considering fast to moderate wing kinematics. The study was extended to analyze the pure aerodynamic performance of the flexible wing. The most suitable wing for a flapping-wing micro-aerial vehicle wing design with a simple vein structure was found to be the 5° slack-angled wing. The inference from this study further shows that a small amount of deformation is needed to increase the lift, as observed in natural flyers. Thus, wing deformation could allow living flyers to undertake less pitching motion in order to reduce the mechanical power and increase the efficiency of their wings.

Experimental Study on Flexible Deformation of a Flapping Wing with a Rectangular Planform

A flexible flapping wing with a rectangular planform was designed to investigate the influence of flexible deformation. This planform is more convenient and easier to define and analyzed its deforming properties in the direction of spanwise and chordwise. The flapping wings were created from carbon fiber skeleton and polyester membrane with similar size to medium birds. Their flexibility of deformations was tested using a pair of high-speed cameras, and the 3D deformations were reconstructed using the digital image correlation technology. To obtain the relationship between the flexible deformation and aerodynamic forces, a force/torque sensor with 6 components was used to test the corresponding aerodynamic forces. Experimental results indicated that the flexible deformations demonstrate apparent cyclic features, in accordance with the flapping cyclic movements. The deformations in spanwise and chordwise are coupled together; a change of chordwise rib stiffness can cause more change in spanwise deformation. A certain lag in phase was observed between the deformation and the flapping movements. This was because the deformation was caused by both the aerodynamic force and the inertial force. The stiffness had a significant effect on the deformation, which in turn, affected the aerodynamic and power characteristics. In the scope of this study, the wing with medium stiffness consumed the least power. The purpose of this research is to explore some fundamental characteristics, as well as the experimental setup is described in detail, which is helpful to understand the basic aerodynamic characteristics of flapping wings. The results of this study can provide an inspiration to further understand and design flapping-wing micro air vehicles with better performance.

Failure modeling of composite wing leading edge under bird strike

Bird strike analysis has been an essential work in aeroplane design and airworthiness assessment. This paper presents a numerical method to simulate the deformation and failure process of composite wing leading edges in bird impact events. First of all, constitutive models were proposed for each material that composed the front edge. Specially, the model for composite material has taken account for the nonlinear behavior, the strain rate dependency, as well as different failure modes. Employing the user subroutine program and the failure modeling techniques, numerical models were built for bird strike simulation. Then the model was validated through bird impact tests on two kinds of edge structure: a laminated one and a sandwich one. Numerical results of both structures show good agreements with the test observation, from the dynamic response to the ultimate failure characteristics. Based on the numerical method, optimal stacking sequences of each structure was found. The results show that the modeling method may help with the crashworthiness design of composite structures.

DNA methylation suppresses chitin degradation and promotes the wing development by inhibiting Bmara-mediated chitinase expression in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

BackgroundDNA methylation, as an essential epigenetic modification found in mammals and plants, has been implicated to play an important role in insect reproduction. However, the functional role and the regulatory mechanism of DNA methylation during insect organ or tissue development are far from being clear.ResultsHere, we found that DNA methylation inhibitor (5-aza-dC) treatment in newly molted pupae decreased the chitin content of pupal wing discs and adult wings and resulted in wing deformity of Bombyx mori. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the up-regulation of chitinase 10 (BmCHT10) gene might be related to the decrease of chitin content induced by 5-aza-dC treatment. Further, the luciferase activity assays demonstrated that DNA methylation suppressed the promoter activity of BmCHT10 by down-regulating the transcription factor, homeobox protein araucan (Bmara). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, DNA pull-down and chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that Bmara directly bound to the BmCHT10 promoter. Therefore, DNA methylation is involved in keeping the structural integrity of the silkworm wings from unwanted chitin degradation, as a consequence, it promotes the wing development of B. mori.ConclusionsThis study reveals that DNA methylation plays an important role in the wing development of B. mori. Our results support that the indirect transcriptional repression of a chitin degradation-related gene BmCHT10 by DNA methylation is necessary to keep the proper wing development in B. mori.

Steady-state aeroelasticity of a ram-air wing for airborne wind energy applications

In this paper we present a computational approach to simulate the steady-state aeroelastic deformation of a ram-air kite for airborne wind energy applications. The approach is based on a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver that is two-way coupled with a finite element (FE) solver. All components of the framework, including the meshing tools and the coupling library, are available in open source. The flow around the wing is described by the steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations closed by an SST turbulence model. The FE model of the cellular membrane structure includes a wrinkling model and uses dynamic relaxation to find the deformed steady-state shape. Each simulation comprises four distinct steps: (1) generating the FE mesh of the design geometry, (2) pre-inflation of the wing, applying a uniform pressure on the inside, (3) generating the CFD mesh around the pre-inflated wing, and (4) activating the exterior flow and two-way coupling iterations. We first present results for the aerodynamics of the pre-inflated rigid ram-air wing and compare these to similar results for a leading edge inflatable (LEI) tube kite. Both wings are characterized by a high anhedral angle and low aspect ratio which induce spanwise flows that reduce the aerodynamic performance. The comparison shows a better performance for the LEI wing which can be attributed to its higher aspect ratio. The aeroelastic deformation of the ram-air wing further improves the aerodynamic performance, primarily because of the increasing camber which in turn increases the lift force. A competing aeroelastic phenomenon is the formation of bumps near the leading edge which increase the drag.

Development of the flight laboratory for research of aerodynamic surfaces deformation

In-flight measurements are developing directions of aircraft testing. The practical implementation of these tests allows accelerating the development of new types of aircraft, the in-flight tests of serial samples, and their commissioning. Carrying out such tests is associated with high cost. In this paper the creation of a flight laboratory based on an unmanned vehicle is proposed. This will significantly reduce the cost of testing but in-flight conditions will be close to real tests. A system for recording experimental images during in-flight test was developed for conducting studies of deformations of aerodynamic surfaces. In this paper, the system based on single board computer is described; its main functions and features are considered. The results of laboratory tests of the developed system on a model of a deformable wing are presented.

Design and static testing of wing structure of a composite four-seater electric aircraft

Abstract Because of its light weight, high strength, designable, composite materials are more and more widely used in the field of aerospace, especially in the field of general aviation. In this paper, the structural design and analysis of the composite wing (include wing beam, rib, skin, leading edge and trailing edge) of a four-seater electric aircraft were carried out. The finite element numerical analysis model of the composite wing was established, and the deformation and strain distribution of the composite wing under the limited load required by airworthiness regulations were calculated. Finally, the static test of the whole composite wing was carried out to verify the accuracy of the finite element results. The finite element analysis and testing results showed that the structural design of the composite wing of the electric aircraft meets the structural strength requirements specified in the airworthiness standard (part 23 of China civil aviation regulations: air-worthiness requirements for normal, practical, special effects and commuting aircraft: CCAR 23-R3)

The Geometry and Mechanics of Insect Wing Deformations in Flight: A Modelling Approach.

The nature, occurrence, morphological basis and functions of insect wing deformation in flight are reviewed. The importance of relief in supporting the wing is stressed, and three types are recognized, namely corrugation, an M-shaped section and camber, all of which need to be overcome if wings are to bend usefully in the morphological upstroke. How this is achieved, and how bending, torsion and change in profile are mechanically interrelated, are explored by means of simple physical models which reflect situations that are visible in high speed photographs and films. The shapes of lines of transverse flexion are shown to reflect the timing and roles of bending, and their orientation is shown to determine the extent of the torsional component of the deformation process. Some configurations prove to allow two stable conditions, others to be monostable. The possibility of active remote control of wing rigidity by the thoracic musculature is considered, but the extent of this remains uncertain.

Dynamics Analysis of Spatial Landing-Gear Mechanism with Hinge Clearance and Axis Deviation

The hinge clearance and rotation axis deviation of aircraft landing-gear retraction mechanism are unavoidable due to factors, such as manufacture, assembly, wear, and wing deformation. Such negative factors affect the dynamic response of the mechanism itself, which is more serious for spatial mechanisms. To study this effect, both numerical and experimental investigations on a spatial landing-gear mechanism are carried out in this study. To build the numerical model, the nonlinear contact force model and modified Coulomb friction model are adopted in the hinge clearance of the landing-gear mechanism. Considering the flexibility effect, some key moving parts, such as sidestay links, are flexibly processed to deal with the axis deviation problems. Based on the proposed model, the influences of clearance size and axis deviation value on the dynamic behaviors of spatial landing-gear mechanism are studied. Both the test and simulation results indicate that the clearance and axis deviation have little effect on the actuation response of the retraction mechanism if they are within reasonable ranges. Nevertheless, the axis deviation is greatly influential to the load on structure and the friction in hinge, whereas the clearance mitigates the adverse effects on the motion of mechanism caused by the axis deviation to some extent.

Research Status and Expectation of Intelligent Deformable Wing Aircraft

The performance requirements for military reconnaissance, military strikes, long-range transport and medical rescue are constantly increasing. The traditional wing has bottlenecks in terms of improving flight efficiency and mission adaptability, which restrict the performance of the aircraft. With the development of new intelligent materials and continuous pursue of aerodynamic performance, the concept of deformable wing emerges as the times require. This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of deformable wing aircraft, summarizes the research results and current situation at home and abroad, and finally makes a prospect for the development of the technology.

Effect of ply angle on nonlinear static aeroelasticity of high-aspect-ratio composite wing

In order to reduce the weight and improve aerodynamic characteristics, the new aircraft generally adopts lightweight composite materials and high-aspect-ratio layout. Such the structural layout aircraft will produce large nonlinear aeroelastic deformation under the action of aerodynamic loads. Due to the anisotropy of the composite, the composite ply angle of wing skin has a great influence on the elastic deformation of the high-aspect-ratio wing. In order to study the influence of the ply angle on the nonlinear static aeroelastic wing deformation, based on CFD/CSD unidirectional fluid-solid coupling, the structural deformation and stress of high-aspect-ratio composite wing were numerically solved. The wing deformation along the lift direction was taken as the optimization target. The structure strength was taken as the constraint. The ply angle for the composite skin of the high-aspect-ratio composite wing was optimized by the Screening method. The optimization results show the nonlinear static aeroelastic deformation of the wing in the lift direction is reduced by 39.1 %. The maximum stress of the wing beam and rib is reduced by 39.0 %. The maximum Tsai-Wu failure factor of the wing skin is reduced by 47.1 %.

Analysis of fluid and solid interaction of the flexible bionic wing in ground effect

Animals can obtain excellent locomotion performance as they swim or fly under ground effect in nature. Inspired by this, fluid mechanisms of the flexible bionic wing oscillating and gliding in ground effect are investigated by fluid–solid interaction simulation in this study, respectively. For the oscillation motion, the flexible wing vertically moves up and down at different distances from the ground. Different parameters such as the average height from the ground, oscillation frequency of the flexible bionic wing, and airfoil flexibility are considered in the simulation. At the same time, the gliding motion of the flexible wing in the ground effect is also studied, compared with the oscillation motion. Several simulations are set for different parameters. The characteristics of the force and deformation of the flexible wing and the flow field around the flexible wing are analyzed in depth. The effects of different flexibilities on the force characteristics of oscillation and gliding motion are obtained. The results show that the influence of flexibility on the lift and drag force is different. Optimal motion performance can be achieved within a certain range of flexibility. The ground effect features of the flexible bionic wing with different locomotion modes are acquired.

Modal and Harmonic Analysis of Bio-Mimic Corrugated Dragonfly Aerofoil

In this present work, free vibration analysis is carried out on the 2-dimensional bio-mimetic corrugated ‘Pantala flavescens’ dragonfly forewing. The numerical modeling based on Finite Element Method (FEM) is developed to predict structural limitation of the dragonfly wings Dragonfly wings bend and twist over the course of flight stroke, causing deformation by a combination of elastic and inertial forces. We found that the wing deformation is smaller during the downstroke and it is revealed that the structural maximum beat frequency of a corrugated dragonfly wing is 38.34 Hz during hovering flight. The modal and harmonic analysis is performed using ANSYS 15 Mechanical APDL to extract the wing’s natural frequency and mode shape of corrugated wing which is significant in design, analysis and manufacturing of analogous MAVs structure.

Airborne Distributed Position and Orientation System Transfer Alignment Method Based on Fiber Bragg Grating.

With the demand for high resolution remote sensing, load array technology has gradually become an effective measure to improve imaging resolution. However, the external flow and internal engine vibration disturbance may lead to the flexible deformation of wings. The traditional rigid baseline error compensation method cannot solve the problem of serious coupling movement error caused by flexible deformation. To address the problem, a transfer alignment model based on fiber Bragg grating for distributed position and orientation system is proposed in this paper. Firstly, based on the multidimensional requirements of flexible deformation information, the layout scheme of fiber Bragg grating was designed, then the continuous strain in the wing surface was obtained after the quadratic fitting of strain measured by fiber Bragg gratings, and the deformation displacement and angle are calculated. Thirdly, flexible deformation compensation for distributed position and orientation system based on fiber Bragg grating was studied. The state equation including position error, velocity error, misalignment angle, and inertial device error was established. The position and attitude information compensated by the flexible lever arm was used as the quantitative measurement. The filtering estimation improved the measurement accuracy of the slave inertial navigation systems. At last, the experiment was carried out and showed that the accuracy of the transfer alignment has been improved significantly.