Design optimisation for flexible wings
Under steady or unsteady aerodynamic and inertial forces, flexible aircraft wings can deform significantly with a severely degrading effect on aircraft stability and performance. However, these adverse aeroservoelastic effects are not included in aircraft models of current flight simulators. An EU-funded consortium has formed a multidisciplinary network of leading experts in aeroservoelasticity to train new researchers. With EU funding of the project A2-NET-TEAM (Advanced aircraft network for theoretical & experimental aeroservoelastic modeling), they worked together to fill the gap in modelling techniques. The project supported international exchange of 23 young researchers as well as progress along different lines of research. New theoretical models were developed, tested and validated covering flexible wings and even flexible wing aircraft. Importantly, A2-NET-TEAM delivered a non-linear model hosting patches of piezoelectric materials suppressing vibrations as well as harvesting vibration energy. Results have been published in high-impact journals or presented at international conferences. A2-NET-TEAM has laid the groundwork for evaluation of flexible wing designs and their non-linear instabilities. The wealth of new simulation tools will contribute to both safety and certification of innovative concepts for more efficient and greener air transport.
Keywords
Flexible wings, aeroservoelastic, A2-NET-TEAM, piezoelectric materials, vibration energy
