Aeroelastic two-level optimization for preliminary design of wing structures considering robust constraints

An aeroelastic two-level optimization methodology for preliminary design of wing struc- tures is presented, in which the parameters for structural layout and sizes are taken as design vari- ables in the first-level optimization, and robust constraints in conjunction with conventional aeroelastic constraints are considered in the second-level optimization. A low-order panel method is used for aerodynamic analysis in the first-level optimization, and a high-order panel method is employed in the second-level optimization. It is concluded that the design of the abovementioned structural parameters of a wing can be improved using the present method with high efficiency. An improvement is seen in aeroelastic performance of the wing obtained with the present method when compared to the initial wing. Since these optimized structures are obtained after consideration of aerodynamic and structural uncertainties, they are well suited to encounter these uncertainties when they occur in reality.     

Methods and advances in the study of aeroelasticity with uncertainties

Uncertainties denote the operators which describe data error, numerical error and model error in the mathematical methods. The study of aeroelasticity with uncertainty embedded in the subsystems, such as the uncertainty in the modeling of structures and aerodynamics, has been a hot topic in the last decades. In this paper, advances of the analysis and design in aeroelasticity with uncertainty are summarized in detail. According to the non-probabilistic or probabilistic uncer- tainty, the developments of theories, methods and experiments with application to both robust and probabilistic aeroelasticity analysis are presented, respectively. In addition, the advances in aeroelastic design considering either probabilistic or non-probabilistic uncertainties are introduced along with aeroelastic analysis. This review focuses on the robust aeroelasticity study based on the structured singular value method, namely the ~t method. It covers the numerical calculation algo- rithm of the structured singular value, uncertainty model construction, robust aeroelastic stability analysis algorithms, uncertainty level verification, and robust flutter boundary prediction in the flight test, etc. The key results and conclusions are explored. Finally, several promising problems on aeroelasticity with uncertainty are proposed for future investigation.     

Match Point Solution for Robust Flutter Analysis in Constant-Mach Prediction

This paper presents a method for robust flutter computation which uses flight altitude as the perturbation variable in order to obtain a match point solution. The air density and sound speed of standard atmosphere model are approximated as the polynomial function of altitude, such that the flight altitude becomes the single perturbation variable that describes the aeroelastic system. The uncertainties of generalized stiffness and damping are considered and the uncertain aeroelastic system can be formulated as linear fractional transformation （LFT） representation which is suitable for/.t analysis framework. Finally, the match point solutions of robust flutter margins can be computed with structured singular value （SSV） theory. The robust flutter analysis method provided in this paper is suitable for constant-Mach flight flutter test and provides valuable reference for flight envelope expansion.     

Recent advance in nonlinear aeroelastic analysis and control of the aircraft

A review on the recent advance in nonlinear aeroelasticity of the aircraft is presented in this paper. The nonlinear aeroelastic problems are divided into three types based on different research objects, namely the two dimensional airfoil, the wing, and the full aircraft. Different non- linearities encountered in aeroelastic systems are discussed firstly, where the emphases is placed on new nonlinear model to describe tested nonlinear relationship. Research techniques, especially new theoretical methods and aeroelastic flutter control methods are investigated in detail. The route to chaos and the cause of chaotic motion of two-dimensional aeroelastic system are summarized. Var- ious structural modeling methods for the high-aspect-ratio wing with geometric nonlinearity are dis- cussed. Accordingly, aerodynamic modeling approaches have been developed for the aeroelastic modeling of nonlinear high-aspect-ratio wings. Nonlinear aeroelasticity about high-altitude long- endurance （HALE） and fight aircrafts are studied separately. Finally, conclusions and the chal- lenges of the development in nonlinear aeroelasticity are concluded. Nonlinear aeroelastic problems of morphing wing, energy harvesting, and flapping aircrafts are proposed as new directions in the future.     

Stability analysis of an aeroelastic system with friction

In this paper, harmonic balance method, exact formulation and numerical simulation method are adopted to study the effects of different friction stiffness on the stability of 1.5 degrees of freedom aeroelastic system. On this basis, the expressions of input energy and dissipated energy are deduced, and the energy method is used to reveal the mechanisms of the stable boundary and unstable boundary existing in the system and the effects of different friction stiffness on the stability of the system. Studies have shown that the stability region and the critical aerodynamic damping ratio of the system rise with the increase of the friction stiffness, while the friction stiffness has little effect on the stability boundary. In the analysis of the stability of system, the results of harmonic balance method, exact formulation and Newmark of numerical simulation method are in good agreement. Compared with exact formulation and numerical simulation method, the concept and conclusion of harmonic balance method are simple in the system stability analysis.     

Static aeroelastic analysis of very flexible wings based on non-planar vortex lattice method

A rapid and efficient method for static aeroelastic analysis of a flexible slender wing when considering the structural geometric nonlinearity has been developed in this paper. A non-planar vortex lattice method herein is used to compute the non-planar aerodynamics of flexible wings with large deformation. The finite element method is introduced for structural nonlinear statics analysis. The surface spline method is used for structure/aerodynamics coupling. The static aeroelastic characteristics of the wind tunnel model of a flexible wing are studied by the nonlinear method presented, and the nonlinear method is also evaluated by comparing the results with those obtained from two other methods and the wind tunnel test. The results indicate that the traditional linear method of static aeroelastic analysis is not applicable for cases with large deformation because it produces results that are not realistic. However, the nonlinear methodology, which involves combining the structure finite element method with the non-planar vortex lattice method, could be used to solve the aeroelastic deformation with considerable accuracy, which is in fair agreement with the test results. Moreover, the nonlinear finite element method could consider complex structures. The non-planar vortex lattice method has advantages in both the computational accuracy and efficiency. Consequently, the nonlinear method presented is suitable for the rapid and efficient analysis requirements of engineering practice. It could be used in the preliminary stage and also in the detailed stage of aircraft design.     

Structural optimization for multiple structure cases and multiple payload cases with a two-level multipoint approximation method

This paper is to address structural optimization problems where multiple structure cases or multiple payload cases can be considered simultaneously. Both types of optimization problems involve multiple finite element models at each iteration step, which draws high demands in opti-mization methods. Considering the common characteristic for these two types of problems, which is that the design domain keeps the same no matter what the structure cases or payload cases are, both problems can be formulated into the unified expressions. A two-level multipoint approxima-tion (TMA) method is firstly improved with the use of analytical sensitivity analysis for structural mass, and then this improved method is utilized to tackle these two types of problems. Based on the commercial finite element software MSC.Patran/Nastran, an optimization system for multiple structure cases and multiple payload cases is developed. Numerical examples are conducted to ver-ify its feasibility and efficiency, and the necessity for the simultaneous optimizations of multiple structure cases and multiple payload cases are illustrated as well.     

STUDY ON GAIN-SCHEDULING PROBLEM IN FLIGHT CONTROL

Gain-scheduling has got its wide applications in modern flight control, in which control gains are scheduled with variables such as dynamic pressure and Mach number, to meet dynamic response requirements in different flight conditions. Classical gain-scheduling approaches may result in some problems, which can not guarantee global robustness and stability in transitions of different flight conditions. Gain-scheduling problem is systematically investigated from robustness point of view in the paper. Detailed procedures for gain-scheduled controller to achieve both robustness and stability performance are given and applied to a typical flight control system. For switching stability problems of different flight conditions in flight control systems, a new approach is proposed, in which different flight conditions are reduced into a parameter varying plant using interpolation firstly, and then parameter-varying controller design goes next. Though interpolation errors may exist, the robust parameter varying controller design can compensate for those uncertainties and errors, and finally achieve good performance of robustness and switching stability during transitions. Illustrative simulation at last shows satisfactory results.     

Robust fault-tolerant control for wing flutter under actuator failure

Many control laws, such as optimal controller and classical controller, have seen their applications to suppressing the aeroelastic vibrations of the aeroelastic system. However, those control laws may not work effectively if the aeroelastic system involves actuator faults. In the current study for wing flutter of reentry vehicle, the effect of actuator faults on wing flutter system is rarely considered and few of the fault-tolerant control problems are taken into account. In this paper, we use the radial basis function neural network and the finite-time H_∞ adaptive fault-tolerant control technique to deal with the flutter problem of wings, which is affected by actuator faults, actuator saturation, parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. The theory of this article includes the modeling of wing flutter and fault-tolerant controller design. The stability of the finite-time adaptive fault-tolerant controller is theoretically proved. Simulation results indicate that the designed fault-tolerant flutter controller can effectively deal with the faults in the flutter system and can promptly suppress the wing flutter as well.     

Characteristic analysis of lock-in for an elastically suspended airfoil in transonic buffet flow

Numerical simulations are performed to study the aeroelastic responses of an elastically suspended airfoil in transonic buffet flow, by coupling the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations and structural motion equation. The current work focuses on the char-acteristic analysis of the lock-in phenomenon. Great attentions are paid to studying the frequency range of lock-in and the effects of the three parameters, namely the structural natural frequency, mass ratio and structural damping, on lock-in characteristic of the elastic system in detail. It is found that when the structural natural frequency is close to the buffet frequency, the coupling fre-quency of the elastic system is no longer equal to the buffet frequency, but keeps the same value as the structural natural frequency. The frequency lock-in occurs and stays present until the structural nature frequency is near the double buffet frequency. It means that the lock-in presents within a broad range, of which the lower threshold is near the buffet frequency, while the upper threshold is near the double buffet frequency. Moreover, the frequency range of lock-in is affected by mass ratio and structural damping. The lower the mass ratio and structural damping are, the wider the range of lock-in will be. The upper threshold of lock-in grows with the mass ratio and structural damping decreasing, but the lower threshold always keeps the same.     

考虑物理参数摄动的静气动弹性鲁棒分析

为了研究静气动弹性系统在不确定性摄动下的稳定性和性能,建立了一种考虑物理参数摄动的静气动弹性鲁棒分析方法。从静气动弹性系统的物理方程出发,应用摄动理论和线性分式变换推导了由物理参数摄动引起的广义刚度、结构模态和广义定常气动力的摄动模型,然后得到了静气动弹性系统不确定性模型。将结构奇异值μ分析推广应用于静气动弹性鲁棒性分析。以一大展弦比长直机翼为例,分析了机翼前梁的材料弹性模态受到一定摄动时的鲁棒静发散稳定性和静气动弹性变形性能。数值结果验证了该方法是准确有效的。     

Novel orbit-attitude combination mode for solar power satellites to reduce mass and fuel

Solar power satellite receives great attention because it can release the energy crisis and environmental problems in the future. However, the launch and maintenance costs are tremendous due to the large system mass and large fuel consumption to counteract space perturbations. To reduce mass and fuel, a novel quasi-Sun-pointing attitude in Sun-frozen orbit is proposed. The Sun-frozen orbit has a nonzero eccentricity vector that always points towards the Sun. The quasi-Sun-pointing attitude is a periodic solution of the Sun-pointing attitude angle. Although about 3 % electricity must be given up because of the variation of Sun-pointing attitude angle, little control action is required to deal with the solar radiation pressure and gravity-gradient torque. The algorithm to obtain initial conditions is proposed. The influences of system parameters and structural flexibilities are studied. Simulation results reveal that the quasi-Sun-pointing attitude in Sun-frozen orbit dramatically reduce fuel consumption, the dry mass, and complexity of the control system. In addition, structural vibration is hardly induced by the gravity-gradient torque. Thus, the bending stiffness as well as the mass of the supporting structure can be reduced.     

Static aeroelastic analysis including geometric nonlinearities based on reduced order model

This paper describes a method proposed for modeling large deflection of aircraft in non-linear aeroelastic analysis by developing reduced order model (ROM). The method is applied for solving the static aeroelastic and static aeroelastic trim problems of flexible aircraft containing geo-metric nonlinearities; meanwhile, the non-planar effects of aerodynamics and follower force effect have been considered. ROMs are computational inexpensive mathematical representations com-pared to traditional nonlinear finite element method (FEM) especially in aeroelastic solutions. The approach for structure modeling presented here is on the basis of combined modal/finite ele-ment (MFE) method that characterizes the stiffness nonlinearities and we apply that structure mod-eling method as ROM to aeroelastic analysis. Moreover, the non-planar aerodynamic force is computed by the non-planar vortex lattice method (VLM). Structure and aerodynamics can be cou-pled with the surface spline method. The results show that both of the static aeroelastic analysis and trim analysis of aircraft based on structure ROM can achieve a good agreement compared to anal-ysis based on the FEM and experimental result.     

侧向随动力作用下大展弦比柔性机翼的稳定性

 随动力能够诱发弹性结构发生颤振失稳。以侧向随动力和集中质量分别模拟发动机推力和外挂质量,考虑机翼垂直弯曲-扭转刚度比、集中质量大小、侧向随动力和集中质量的位置以及机翼后掠角和上反角的影响,研究了受侧向随动力作用的大展弦比柔性机翼的气动弹性稳定性。数值模拟所采用的大展弦比柔性机翼非线性气动弹性模型耦合了几何精确完全本征运动梁模型和ONERA动失速非定常气动力模型,该模型考虑了几何非线性、动失速和材料各向异性。模拟结果表明,侧向随动力对机翼颤振可以具有稳定作用,其具体表现依赖于若干变参数的影响,如：减小机翼垂直弯曲-扭转刚度比;发动机吊舱靠近翼根布置;使发动机推力作用点在法向上与机翼弹性轴靠近;单纯的集中质量避免布置在柔性机翼中部,且布置在机翼弹性轴之前或下方,这些设计或布置均有利于提高带发动机吊舱/有效载荷外挂的柔性机翼的气动弹性稳定性。     

多控制面飞行器结构与配平鲁棒气动弹性优化方法

基于遗传算法,提出了一种考虑多控制面飞行器结构参数和配平关系中的不确定性的鲁棒气动弹性优化方法,并在一个带有主动气动弹性机翼(AAW)的复杂小展弦比飞机的结构和控制面传动比的鲁棒设计中得到了应用.以非概率形式来衡量设计变量的不确定性变化,采用单目标函数形式,并引入一个反映目标函数相对变化的额外约束来描述鲁棒优化问题.在...     

V型尾翼布局弹性体飞机操纵性分析

使用静气动弹性分析方法,对双尾撑V型尾翼布局飞机纵向静气动弹性特性随飞行动压、迎角、尾撑纵向弯曲刚度的变化趋势进行了分析,以期为类似布局飞机的设计提供参考。尾撑结构刚度对飞机的俯仰、偏航的操纵效率都有较大影响,需要结合飞行动压范围和质量要求合理选择尾撑结构的材料和尺寸,在设计时,严格控制尾撑的刚度指标。     

基于Broyden法的旋翼多体系统气动弹性分析

建立了旋翼多体系统气动弹性模型并给出了一种适合于该模型响应计算的数值计算方法。采用柔性多体系统动力学方法建立旋翼气动弹性模型,利用驱动约束显著简化约束方程形式,集成大变形桨叶模型,准确考虑变形的非线性,适合于对采用柔性结构的先进旋翼进行气动弹性分析。基于Broyden法改进隐式积分法积分一步中非线性方程的求解,避免求取切线矩阵和矩阵求逆运算,保持隐式积分法具有较好稳定性的同时提高计算效率,解决了旋翼多体系统气动弹性力学方程隐式表达且具有较强非线性和较高刚性比造成的响应计算困难。通过模型旋翼桨叶响应计算验证了结构模型与气动弹性响应求解方法。采用建立的气动弹性模型计算悬停和前飞状态旋翼气动弹性稳定性,与试验结果对比验证了模型的正确性。研究了不同的稳定性计算方法、桨叶结构模型和入流模型等对悬停和前飞稳定性计算的影响,结果表明本文所采用的结构、气动模型及气动弹性稳定性计算方法提高了气动弹性稳定性分析精度。     

Numerical studies of a non-linear aeroelastic system with plunging and pitching freeplays in supersonic/hypersonic regimes

The flutter and post flutter of a two-dimensional double-wedge lifting surface with combined freeplay and cubic stiffness nonlinearities in both plunging and pitching degrees-of-freedom operating in supersonic/hypersonic flight speed regimes have been analyzed. In addition to the structural nonlinearities, the third-order piston theory aerodynamics is used to evaluate the unsteady non-linear aerodynamic force and moment. Such model accounts for stiffness and damping contributions produced by the aerodynamic loads. Responses involving limit cycle oscillation and chaotic motion are observed over a large number of parameters that characterizes the aeroelastic system. Results of the present study show that the freeplay in the pitching degree-of-freedom and soft/hard cubic stiffness in the pitching and plunging degrees-of-freedom have significant effects on the LCOs exhibited by the aeroelastic system in the supersonic/hypersonic flight speed regimes. The simulations also show that the aeroelastic system behavior is greatly affected by physical structural parameters, such as the radius of gyration and the frequency ratio, especially in post-flutter regimes, when accounting for all system nonlinearities. It has been shown that at high Mach numbers the non-linear aerodynamic stiffness yields detrimental effects from the aeroelastic point of view, while the damping one do not.