Nonlinear Inviscid Aerodynamic Effects on Transonic Divergence, Flutter, and Limit-Cycle Oscillations

Abstract

By the use of a state-of-the-art computational e uid dynamic (CFD) method to model nonlinear steady and unsteady transonice owsin conjunction with a linearstructural model,an investigationismadeinto how nonlinear aerodynamics can effect the divergence, e utter, and limit-cycle oscillation (LCO) characteristics of a transonic airfoil cone guration. A single-degree-of-freedom (DOF) model is studied for divergence, and one- and two-DOF models are studied for e utter and LCO. A harmonicbalancemethod in conjunction with the CFD solver is used to determine the aerodynamics for e nite amplitude unsteady excitations of a prescribed frequency. A procedure for determining the LCO solution is also presented. For the cone guration investigated, nonlinear aerodynamic effects are found to produce a favorable transonic divergence trend and unstable and stable LCO solutions, respectively, for the one- and two-DOF e utter models. Nomenclature a = nondimensional location of airfoil elastic axis, e=b b, c = semichord and chord, respectively cl, cm = coefe cients of lift and moment about elastic axis, respectively e = location of airfoil elastic axis, measured positive aft of airfoil midchord h, ® = airfoil plunge and pitch degrees of freedom I® = second moment of inertia of airfoil about elastic axis