A framework for aeroelastic analysis employing higher-order structural and aerodynamic theories

Abstract

Aeroelasticity is an essential tool for the analysis and design of structures whose operating conditions involve the interaction with aerodynamic loads, and it finds application in aerospace, mechanical and civil applications. Involving the analysis of generally complex interactions between fluids and structures, aeroelastic analyses tend to be computationally expensive, thus often resorting to suitable simplification either in the structural or aerodynamic modelling, so to reduce the computational burden. On the other hand, the employment of composite materials in several engineering sectors has given the designer an unprecedented freedom in terms of design choices. In structures subjected to aeroelastic loads, the use of composite materials extends their operational capability, increasing the divergence and flutter speed and thus enhancing the static and dynamic aeroelastic response in a paradigm known as aeroelastic tailoring. However, the employment of low-order structural theories may sometimes result in excessive simplification of the overall aeroelastic problem. Recently, higher-order structural theories based on generalized structural formulations, such as the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), have been developed and employed for aeroelastic analysis and have been coupled with simplified representations of the aerodynamic loads. In this work, a framework for aeroelastic analysis based on the employment of CUF for composite plates and of high order aerodynamic models is presented. The resolution of the aerodynamic fields is provided by open source aerodynamic computational tools and it is coupled with the CUF-based structural model of the composite structure for enhanced aeroelastic analysis. Some preliminary results are presented to illustrate the scope and potential of the technique.