Research Projects

Modeling of a flexible aircraft requires a structural model coupled with a consistent aerodynamic model. A challenge of modeling aeroservoelastic effects is the sensitivity of structural and aerodynamic model parameters in the coupled system. As a result, extensive tuning is required to predict accurate flutter characteristics. This research program proposes to investigate the sensitivity of structural and aerodynamic parameters in aeroservoelastic systems.

The coupling between rigid body dynamics, structural dynamics and flight control can be described in a subsystem-based simulation architecture where both models are kept separately. This feedback interconnection lends itself to the application of robust control tools. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis can be performed to identify the tuning parameters. In addition, updating structural models can be avoided if structural dynamic characteristics are identified using ground vibration test data. The plan is to use these experiment-based models to narrow the sensitivity analysis to parameters in the aerodynamic model. This analysis will show trade-offs between flutter accuracy and aerodynamics complexity in aeroservoelastic models and will allow to quantify aerodynamic uncertainty for control purposes.