Design of Postbuckled Spinal Structures for Airfoil Camber and Shape Control

Abstract

In this paper the use of shape definition schemes to design spinal structures for the control of deformable airfoils is examined. The aim is to find structures that, when suitably loaded, can be used to alter the aerodynamic properties of a cladding that forms the airfoil, thus obviating the need for flaps or ailerons. Morphing through different cambered airfoils to achieve aerodynamic performances for different manoeuvers is then possible by exploiting a range of incremental nonlinear structural solutions. Further, by using structures that are acting in the postbuckling regime, it is possible to obtain significant changes in shape with only modest changes in applied load. Results are formulated in terms of the aerodynamic properties of the morphed airfoils using a shape optimized beam as the spinal structure with fixed aerodynamic cladding.