Progress on the Design of a Composite FishBAC Morphing Device for Spanwise Lift Control

The Fish Bone Active Camber (FishBAC) is a compliance-based morphing trailing edge device that represents an alternative to traditional trailing edge hinged control surfaces. Capable of generating large, smooth and continuous changes in camber (i.e. without gaps and/or surface discontinuities), the FishBAC has the potential to reduce aircraft fuel consumption and noise. To predict the structural and aerodynamic behaviour of this device, a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) routine-based on a Mindlin-Reissner Plate structural model and a coupled, viscous corrected 2D panel method and 3D lifting line aerodynamic model-has been developed. This paper presents a design case study where this FSI model is used to study the FishBAC's capability to control spanwise aerodynamic loads.