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Title:
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The Application of Finite Element Methods to Aeroelastic Lifting Surface Flutter |
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Author:
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Guertin, Matthew |
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Advisor:
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Akin, John E. |
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Degree:
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Master of Science thesis |
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Abstract:
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Aeroelastic behavior prediction is often confined to analytical or highly computational methods, so I developed a low degree of freedom computational method using structural finite elements and unsteady loading to cover a gap in the literature. Finite elements are readily suitable for determination of the free vibration characteristics of eccentric, elastic structures, and the free vibration characteristics fundamentally determine the aeroelastic behavior. I used Theodorsen’s unsteady strip loading formulation to model the aerodynamic loading on linear elastic structures assuming harmonic motion. I applied Hassig’s ‘p-k’ method to predict the flutter boundary of nonsymmetric, aeroelastic systems. I investigated the application of a quintic interpolation assumed displacement shape to accurately predict higher order characteristic effects compared to linear analytical results. I show that quintic interpolation is especially accurate over cubic interpolation when multi-modal interactions are considered in low degree of freedom flutter behavior for high aspect ratio HALE aircraft wings. |
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Citation:
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Guertin, Matthew. "The Application of Finite Element Methods to Aeroelastic Lifting Surface Flutter." Masters Thesis, Rice University, May, 2012. ETD http://hdl.handle.net/1911/64631. |
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Citable link to this page:
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http://hdl.handle.net/1911/64631 |
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Date:
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2012-09-05 |
