Lessons learned from wind tunnel testing of a droop-nosed morphing wing-tip

Srinivas Vasista, Johannes Riemenschneider, Bram van de Kamp, Hans Peter Monner, Ronald Cheung, Christopher Wales, Jonathan Cooper

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

2 Citations (Scopus)
391 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This work presents the lessons learned from wind tunnel tests of a droop-nose morphing wingtip as part of the EU project NOVEMOR. The design followed a sequential chain and was largely driven through optimization tools, including a glass-fiber composite skin optimization tool and a topology optimization tool for the design of internal super-elastic and aluminium compliant mechanisms. The device was tested in the low speed tunnel at the University of Bristol to determine the structural response under aerodynamic loading. Measurements of strain from strain gauges show that the structure is capable of handing the aerodynamic loads though also show an imbalance of strain between the components. Measurements of surface pressures show a small variation of cp with the 2° droop morphing variation as per the target. The wind tunnel testing showed that further developments to the design chain are necessary, in particular the need for a concurrent as opposed to sequential chain for the design of the various components. Considerations of other problem formulations, the inclusion of nonlinear finite element analysis, and ways to interpret the structural boundary of the topology optimization results with more confidence are required. The utilization of super-elastic materials in morphing structures may also prove to be highly beneficial for their performance
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2016
Subtitle of host publicationGyuhae Park, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | March 20, 2016
PublisherSociety of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9781510600409
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Mar 2016
EventSPIE 9799, Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2016, -
Duration: 20 Mar 2016 → …
Conference number: SPIE 9799,

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE
PublisherSPIE
Volume9799
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSPIE 9799, Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2016,
Period20/03/16 → …

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