A.S. Roknizadeh, A.S. Nobari, M. Mohagheghi and H. Shahverdi
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the stability of aeroelastic systems using aeroelastic frequency response function (FRF).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the stability of aeroelastic systems using aeroelastic frequency response function (FRF).
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed technique determines the instability boundary of an aeroelastic system based on condition number (CN) of aeroelastic FRF matrix or directly from FRFs data.
Findings
Stability margins of typical section and hingeless helicopter rotor blade in the subsonic flow regimes (quasi‐steady and unsteady models) are determined using proposed techniques as two case studies.
Originality/value
The paper introduces a technique which is applicable not only when aerodynamic and structure analytical models are available but also when there are experimental models for structure and/or aerodynamics, such as impulse response functions data or FRFs data. In other words, the main advantage of the proposed method, besides its simplicity and low memory requirement, is its ability to utilize experimental data.
Details
Keywords
Yonghu Wang, Ray C. Chang and Wei Jiang
The purpose of this paper is to present a quick inspection method based on the post-flight data to examine static aeroelastic behavior for transport aircraft subjected to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a quick inspection method based on the post-flight data to examine static aeroelastic behavior for transport aircraft subjected to instantaneous high g-loads.
Design/methodology/approach
In the present study, the numerical approach of static aeroelasticity and two verified cases will be presented. The non-linear unsteady aerodynamic models are established through flight data mining and the fuzzy-logic modeling of artificial intelligence techniques based on post-flight data. The first and second derivatives of flight dynamic and static aeroelastic behaviors, respectively, are then estimated by using these aerodynamic models.
Findings
The flight dynamic and static aeroelastic behaviors with instantaneous high g-load for the two transports will be analyzed and make a comparison study. The circumstance of turbulence encounter of the new twin-jet is much serious than that of four-jet transport aircraft, but the characteristic of stability and controllability for the new twin-jet is better than those of the four-jet transport aircraft; the new twin-jet transport is also shown to have very small aeroelastic effects. The static aeroelastic behaviors for the two different types can be assessed by using this method.
Practical implications
As the present study uses the flight data stored in a quick access recorder, an intrusive structural inspection of the post-flight can be avoided. A tentative conclusion is to prove that this method can be adapted to examine the static aeroelastic effects for transport aircraft of different weights, different sizes and different service years in tracking static aeroelastic behavior of existing different types of aircraft. In future research, one can consider to have more issues of other types of aircraft with high composite structure weight.
Originality/value
This method can be used to assist airlines to monitor the variations of flight dynamic and static aeroelastic behaviors as a complementary tool for management to improve aviation safety, operation and operational efficiency.
Details
Keywords
Wei Jiang, Ray C. Chang, Shuqin Zhang and Shixin Zang
This study aims to present a diagnosis method to inspect the structure health for aging transport aircraft based on the postflight data in severe clear-air turbulence at transonic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present a diagnosis method to inspect the structure health for aging transport aircraft based on the postflight data in severe clear-air turbulence at transonic flight. The purpose of this method development is to assist certificate holder of aircraft maintenance factory as a complementary tool for the structural maintenance program to ensure that the transport aircraft fits airworthiness standards.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the numerical approach to analyze the characteristics of flight dynamic and static aeroelasticity for two four-jet transport aircraft will be presented. One of these two four-jet transport aircraft is an aging one. Another one is used to demonstrate the order of magnitude of the static aeroelastic behaviors. The nonlinear unsteady aerodynamic models are established through flight data mining and the fuzzy-logic modeling technique based on postflight data. The first and second derivatives of flight dynamic and static aeroelastic behaviors, respectively, are then estimated by using these aerodynamic models.
Findings
Although the highest dynamic pressure of aging aircraft is lower, the highest absolute value of static aeroelastic effects response to the wing of aging aircraft is about 3.05 times larger than normal one; the magnitude variations of angles of attack are similar for both aircrafts; the highest absolute value of the static aeroelastic effects response to the empennage of aging aircraft is about 29.67 times larger than normal one in severe clear-air turbulence. The stabilizer of aging aircraft has irregular deviations with obvious jackscrew assembly problems, as found in this study.
Research limitations/implications
A lack of the measurement data of vertical wind speed sensor on board to verify the estimated values of damping term is one of the research limitations of this study. This research involved potential problem monitoring of structure health for transport aircraft in different weights, different sizes and different service years. In the future research, one can consider more structural integrity issues for other types of aircraft.
Practical implications
It can be realized from this study that the structure of aging transport aircraft may have potential safety threat. Therefore, when the airline managed aging transport aircraft, it ought to be conducted comprehensive and in-depth inspections to reduce such safety risks and establish a complete set of safety early warning measures to deal with the potential problem of aircraft aging.
Social implications
It can be realized that the structure of aging transport aircraft has potential safety threat. The airline managed aging transport aircraft; it should conduct comprehensive and in-depth inspections to reduce safety risks and establish a complete set of safety early warning measures.
Originality/value
This method can be used to assist airlines to monitor aging transport aircraft as a complementary tool of structural maintenance program to improve aviation safety, operation and operational efficiency.