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Aeroelasticity

Lecture 4:
Theodorsen for non-sinusoidal
motion

G. Dimitriadis
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Time domain responses
! Theodorsen analysis requires that the
equations of motion are only valid at zero
airspeed or at the flutter condition.
! They are also valid in the case of forced
sinusoidal excitation.
! We can calculate the response of an
aeroelastic system with Theodorsen
aerodynamics to any excitation force

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Frequency Response Function

! Imagine that we excite the pitch-plunge airfoil


at the leading edge with a force F0expj!t.
! The equations of motion become

#"1&
$ 'F0
%x f (

! This equation is of the form H(!)q0=F, where


H-1(!) is the Frequency Response Function.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
FRF for pitch-plunge system
9
!'!&(
"

:8;<+1=>132!5!&17.18
FRF of h

632!5!&617.18
&
!'!&

The two modes !

are clearly present !'!!(


!&

!"
!
! " # $ % &! ! " # $ % &!
)*+,-+./012345 )*+,-+./012345

!'(
!'!#
FRF of "

:8;<+1=>132!5!&17.1"
!
632!5!&617.1"

!'!9 !!'(

The first mode is !'!"


!&
!&'(
present as an anti- !"
resonance !'!&
!"'(
!9
!
! " # $ % &! ! " # $ % &!
)*+,-+./012345 )*+,-+./012345

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Working with the FRF
! If the force is non-sinusoidal, F0=F0(!).
! The systems response to such a force is
obtained as q0(!)=H(!)-1F(!).
! If F(!)=1 then the inverse Fourier
Transform of q0(!) is the systems impulse
response.
! The impulse response can also be used to
perform stability analysis.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Impulse response of
pitch-plunge airfoil
!) 9:&),;/<('=;>:!?# !# :;"(-<0=*)><?;!'#
'(&! )*&!
# &'(

&
1,234/-(5-/267/-(+7(8

2-3450.*6.03780.*,8*9
"
!'(
!
!
!"
!!'(
!# !&

!$ !&'(
! " # $ % &! &" &# &$ &% ! " # $ % &! &" &# &$ &%
*+,-(./0 +,-.*/01

!# !#
'(&! )*&!
"
1,234/-(5-/267/-(+7(!

2-3450.*6.03780.*,8*!
"

!
!

!"

!"
! " # $ % &! &" &# &$ &% ! " # $ % &! &" &# &$ &%
*+,-(./0 +,-.*/01

V=15m/s V=25m/s

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Damped sinusoidal motion
! The previous discussion shows that:
! Theodorsen aerodynamics are only valid for
sinusoidal motion
! Yet Theodorsen aerodynamics can be used to
calculate damped impulse responses
! Stability analysis is slow and and can be less
accurate when performed on impulse
responses
! We need a method for calculating the
damping at all airspeeds directly from the
equations of motion

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-k Method

! The p-k method is the most popular


technique for obtaining aeroelastic
solutions
! It was started in the 80s and since then
has become the industrial standard
! Virtually all aircraft flying today have
been designed using the p-k method

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Basics
! The p-k method uses the structural
equations of motion in the standard
form

! Coupled with Theodorsen aerodynamic


forces of the form

With k=!b/U

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Basics (2)

! Remember that this is only correct if the


response is sinusoidal, since the
Theodorsen lift is equal to

! The p-k method mixes h(t), which is a


general function, with h0expj!t.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Basics (3)

! Therefore, the equations contain terms


that depend on frequency
! The basis of the p-k method is to define

! Then, the equations of motion become


$ 2 1 &
p M s + K s " #U Q( p) q = 0
2
% 2 '
! Where q=[h "]T.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Using p!
! Using the p notation, the Q(p) matrix
becomes:
2 2
( p 2$ p& p $3 & p $ p& +
* "2#cC ( k ) " 2#b "2#cC ( k ) " 2#b2
" 2#cC ( k ) c " x f " 2#b 2 -
U %U' U %4 'U %U'
* -
$3 & p
*
Q( p) = * 2#ec 2C ( k ) " 2 c " x f #b 2 + -
p $ c& 2$ p&
2
%4 ' U -
*2#ec C ( k ) + 2# x f " b
2
2-
* U % 2' % U ' $ 3 & p $ c
2
p
& $ &
2
b 4
p
$ & -
2#ec 2C ( k ) c " x f " 2#b 2 x f " "#
*) %4 'U % 2' % U ' 4 % U ' -,

! i.e. it is a polynomial function of p (or p/U).

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-method

! The p-method consists of solving this


eigenvalue problem for p.
$ 2 1 &
p M s + K s " #U 2Q( p) q = 0
% 2 '
! Its a nonlinear eigenvalue problem but
polynomial so it can be solved.
! The p values will generally be complex.
! There is no guarantee that the real parts of
the p values will have the correct value

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-k method
! The p-k method is more sophisticated than
the p-method in that it performs frequency
matching
! The equations solved are
$ 2 1 &
p M s + K s " #U 2Q( jk ) q = 0 (2)
% 2 '
! Since it is known that the aerodynamic
matrix is only a function of frequency (not
of damping)
! Again, k=!b/U

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Application to 2-dof model

! The p-k equations for the 2-dof model


are:
# , #3 & /&
)4+C ( k ) jk + 2+k 2 )2+cC ( k ) ) 2+bjk ) 4+C ( k ) c ) x f jk + 2+b 2 k 2 1(
% . $4 '
. 1(
#3
%
%# m S & 2 #Kk 0& 1 & 1( 2 h 5 = 0
(p +%
2.
( ) *U . 2+ec C ( k ) ) 2 c ) x f +bjk +
2

% %$ S I" ' $0 K" ' 2 c& 2 $4 ' 1( 3 6


4+ecC ( k ) jk ) 2+
#
x ) k 4" 7
% . $ f 2' 2 1(
#3 & # c& 2 b 2 2 1(
% . 4+ecC ( k ) c ) x f jk + 2+ x f ) k ++ k
$ .- $4 ' $ 2' 4 10'

! Notice that the Q matrix depends only


on k, not on flight condition

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-k solution

! The solution of these equations is iterative.


! We guess a value for the frequency ! (and
hence k) and then we calculate p from the
resulting eigenvalue problem.
! The norm of p should be equal to !.
! If it is not, we change the value of ! until the
scheme converges
! This is called frequency matching

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Frequency matching

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
p-k method characteristics

! Converges very quickly to the correct


eigenvalue
! Suitable for large computational
problems
! Calculates sub-critical damping ratios
! Flutter speeds are very similar to the k-
method results

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Results

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Rogers Approximation
! Another way to transform the p-k equations to
the time domain is using Rogers
Approximation.
! The frequency-dependent part of equations
(2), Q(jk), is approximated as:
2
nl
jk
Q( jk ) = A 0 + A1 jk + A 2 ( jk ) + # A 2+n
n =1 jk + " n
! Where nl is the number of aerodynamic lags
and "n are aerodynamic lag coefficients.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Rogers EOMs
! The equations of motion of the complete
aeroelastic system then become:
$ "M "1C "M "1K "M "1A 3 ! "M "1A n l +2 '
& I 0 0 ! 0 )
& )
q = & 0 I "V# 1 /bI ! 0 )q
& " " " # " )
&& ))
% 0 I 0 ! "V# n l /bI (
! Where
1 1 1 1
M = M s " #b 2A 2 , C = Cs " #UbA1, K = K s " #U 2A 0 , A j = " #U 2A j
2 2 2 2
! Usually:
n
n l = 4, " n = #1.7kmax 2 , kmax = maximum k of interest
(nl + 1)
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Practical Aeroelasticity
! For an aircraft, the matrix Q(jk) is obtained using a
panel method-based aerodynamic model.
! The modelling is usually performed by means of
commercial packages, such as MSC.Nastran or Z-
Aero.
! For a chosen set of k values, e.g. k1, k2, !, km, the
corresponding Q matrices are returned.
! The Q matrices are then used in conjunction with
the p-k method to obtain the flutter solution or
time-domain responses.
! The values of Q at intermediate k values are
obtained by interpolation.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
BAH Example
! Bisplinghoff, Ashley and Halfman wing

! FEM with 12 nodes and 72 dof


Introduction to Aeroelasticity
First 5 modes of BAH wing

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
GTA Example
! Here is a very simple aeroelastic model for
a Generic Transport Aircraft

Finite element model: Bar elements Aerodynamic model: 2500 doublet


with 678 degrees of freedom lattice panels

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Flutter plots
for GTA

First 7 flexible modes.


Clear flutter mechanism
between first and third
mode (first wing bending
and aileron deflection)

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Time domain plots
for the GTA

V<VF V=VF

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Supersonic Transport
! The SST is a
proposal for the
replacement of
the Concorde.
! The aeroelastic
model is a half-
model
! The
aerodynamics
contains the
wing and a
rectangle for the
wall

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Flutter plots
for SST

First 9 flexible modes.


Clear flutter mechanism
between first and third
mode.

Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Practical Session
! You are required to design a pitch-plunge flat plate with the following
characteristics
! Chord length: 0.4m
! Material: aluminium
! Maximum flight altitude: 2000m (air density of 1kg/m3)
! Maximum airspeed: 100m/s
! Write a Matlab code to carry out a p-k analysis on the pitch-plunge
flat plate.
! Modify your systems parameters so that your wing complies with
the above specifications and does not flutter inside the flight
envelope.
! Try to keep the wing as light as possible.
! The plunge spring cannot exceed 5000N/m
! The pitch spring cannot exceed 4000Nm/rad

Introduction to Aeroelasticity

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