Combined analytical and experimental approaches to rotor components stress predictions

Abstract

A combined analytical and experimental approach is introduced to estimate the dynamic response of complex systems from a limited number of measurements. The method is based on the concept that modal information is sufficient to extrapolate the complete map of the response from experimental data through the reconstruction of modal loads. The capabilities of the algorithm are first verified via well-controlled lab experiments on a thin-walled aluminium-rotor blade. Numerical results from a comprehensive UH-60 multibody model are then compared with available experimental data. Significant improvements in the accuracy of the predicted results are achieved when simple airloads models are employed as inputs.