Model-Based Test of a Wing

Flutter Suppression System

MathWorks

Model-Based Test of a Wing Flutter Suppression System

Model-Based Test of a Wing Flutter Suppression System:

MathWorks
Publication date 04-Dec-2013 15:13:53

Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
Test Summary ................................................................................................................. 2
Test Procedure ................................................................................................................ 4
Results for each flight condition ........................................................................................ 5
Flight Condition 1 ....................................................................................................... 5
Flight Condition 2 ....................................................................................................... 6
Flight Condition 3 ....................................................................................................... 7
Flight Condition 4 ....................................................................................................... 8
Flight Condition 5 ....................................................................................................... 9
Flight Condition 6 ..................................................................................................... 10
Flight Condition 7 ..................................................................................................... 11
Flight Condition 8 ..................................................................................................... 12
Flight Condition 9 ..................................................................................................... 13
Flight Condition 10 .................................................................................................... 14
Flight Condition 11 .................................................................................................... 15
Flight Condition 12 .................................................................................................... 16
Flight Condition 13 .................................................................................................... 17
Flight Condition 14 .................................................................................................... 18
Flight Condition 15 .................................................................................................... 19
Flight Condition 16 .................................................................................................... 20
5. Model Description ......................................................................................................... 22

iii

List of Figures
2.1. System Damping Ratio Versus Flight Condition ................................................................. 3
4.1. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 1 ........................................................................ 6
4.2. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 2 ........................................................................ 7
4.3. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 3 ........................................................................ 8
4.4. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 4 ........................................................................ 9
4.5. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 5 ...................................................................... 10
4.6. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 6 ...................................................................... 11
4.7. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 7 ...................................................................... 12
4.8. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 8 ...................................................................... 13
4.9. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 9 ...................................................................... 14
4.10. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 10 ................................................................... 15
4.11. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 11 ................................................................... 16
4.12. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 12 ................................................................... 17
4.13. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 13 ................................................................... 18
4.14. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 14 ................................................................... 19
4.15. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 15 ................................................................... 20
4.16. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 16 ................................................................... 21

iv

List of Tables
1.1. Report Version Information ............................................................................................ 1

Chapter 1. Introduction
This document reports the results of model-based functional testing of an active aircraft wing flutter suppression system design developed by NASA Langley Research Center (see Model Description [22]).
The report includes a summary of the test results, a description of the test procedure, and detailed test
results.

Table 1.1. Report Version Information

Model
Name

Model Last Saved

Flutter- Wed Oct 24 16:41:12 2012

SuppressionSystem

Model Model
Version Author
1.272

MathWorks

Simulink Version

Simulink Report
Generator Version

8.3(R2014a Prerelease)

3.16(R2014a Prerelease)

Chapter 2. Test Summary

The test reported in this document determines whether the flutter suppression system suppresess rotational
(pitch) flutter over a specified set of operating conditions (desired pitch angle, speed, and altitude). The
system is considered to meet this requirement if pitch oscillations decay exponentially as a function of time,
i.e., the system has a positive damping ratio, at each of the specified operating conditions. The following
table summarizes the test results for 16 flight conditions for a desired pitch angle of 0 degrees.

Flight
Condition

Mach

Altitude (ft)

1
[5]

0.2000

1000

0.0514

Pass

2
[6]

0.2000

21000

0.0281

Pass

3
[7]

0.2000

41000

0.0127

Pass

4
[8]

0.2000

51000

0.0083

Pass

5
[9]

0.4000

1000

0.1262

Pass

6
[10]

0.4000

21000

0.0807

Pass

7
[11]

0.4000

41000

0.0410

Pass

8
[12]

0.4000

51000

0.0267

Pass

9
[13]

0.6000

1000

0.0853

Pass

10
[14]

0.6000

21000

0.1137

Pass

11
[15]

0.6000

41000

0.0806

Pass

12
[16]

0.6000

51000

0.0570

Pass

13
[17]

1000

-0.0637

Fail

14
[18]

21000

-0.0748

Fail

15
[19]

41000

0.1875

Pass

16
[20]

51000

0.1298

Pass

Test Statistics.

Damping PasRatio s/Fail

The test passed for 14 of the 16 test cases (87.5000 percent).

Test Summary

The following figure plots the system's damping ratio as a function of altitude and Mach number. The
damping ratio is 0 on the blue plane. The system is unstable in the region below the blue plane.

Figure 2.1. System Damping Ratio Versus Flight Condition

Chapter 3. Test Procedure

The following procedure was used to produce the test results reported in this report:
1. Read a set of flight conditions from an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet specified 4 Mach values and
4 altitude values, giving 16 flight conditions.
2. For each flight condition, simulate the flutter suppression system, using a Simulink model (see Model
Description [22]) that represents a wing controlled by the system and aerodynamic forces acting
on the wing resulting from the flight conditions. The model also represents an initial disturbance in
the wing's pitching moment that causes an oscillation in the wing pitch angle. If effective, the flutter
suppression system should cause this oscillation to decay exponentially with time.
3. Determine the positive peaks of the pitch oscillations from simulation data.
4. Fit an exponential curve to the peak data.
5. Compute the pitch damping ratio as a function of the positive (or negative) decay parameter of the
exponential curve.

Chapter 4. Results for each flight

condition
Table of Contents
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight
Flight

Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition
Condition

1 ............................................................................................................... 5
2 ............................................................................................................... 6
3 ............................................................................................................... 7
4 ............................................................................................................... 8
5 ............................................................................................................... 9
6 ............................................................................................................. 10
7 ............................................................................................................. 11
8 ............................................................................................................. 12
9 ............................................................................................................. 13
10 ............................................................................................................ 14
11 ............................................................................................................ 15
12 ............................................................................................................ 16
13 ............................................................................................................ 17
14 ............................................................................................................ 18
15 ............................................................................................................ 19
16 ............................................................................................................ 20

Below are the results for each of the 16 test cases.

Flight Condition 1
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.2000

1000

0.0514

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.1. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 1

For test case 1, a Mach number of 0.2000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 1000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0514, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 2
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.2000

21000

0.0281

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.2. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 2

For test case 2, a Mach number of 0.2000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 21000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0281, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 3
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.2000

41000

0.0127

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.3. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 3

For test case 3, a Mach number of 0.2000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 41000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0127, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 4
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.2000

51000

0.0083

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.4. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 4

For test case 4, a Mach number of 0.2000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 51000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0083, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 5
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.4000

1000

0.1262

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.5. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 5

For test case 5, a Mach number of 0.4000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 1000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.1262, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 6
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.4000

21000

0.0807

10

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.6. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 6

For test case 6, a Mach number of 0.4000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 21000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0807, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 7
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.4000

41000

0.0410

11

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.7. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 7

For test case 7, a Mach number of 0.4000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 41000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0410, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 8
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.4000

51000

0.0267

12

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.8. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 8

For test case 8, a Mach number of 0.4000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 51000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0267, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 9
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.6000

1000

0.0853

13

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.9. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 9

For test case 9, a Mach number of 0.6000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 1000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0853, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 10
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.6000

21000

0.1137

14

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.10. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 10

For test case 10, a Mach number of 0.6000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 21000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.1137, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 11
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.6000

41000

0.0806

15

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.11. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 11

For test case 11, a Mach number of 0.6000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 41000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0806, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 12
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

0.6000

51000

0.0570

16

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.12. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 12

For test case 12, a Mach number of 0.6000 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 51000
feet. Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.0570, and since the value was
greater than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 13
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

1000

-0.0637

17

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.13. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 13

For test case 13, a Mach number of 1 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 1000 feet.
Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be -0.0637, and since the value was less
than zero, the model does not meet the requirement, given this test is condition. Hence, failed.

Flight Condition 14
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

21000

-0.0748

18

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.14. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 14

For test case 14, a Mach number of 1 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 21000 feet.
Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be -0.0748, and since the value was less
than zero, the model does not meet the requirement, given this test is condition. Hence, failed.

Flight Condition 15
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

41000

0.1875

19

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.15. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 15

For test case 15, a Mach number of 1 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 41000 feet.
Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.1875, and since the value was greater
than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

Flight Condition 16
Mach

Altitude(in ft)

Damping Ratio

51000

0.1298

20

Results for each flight condition

Figure 4.16. Plot of Pitch vs time for Flight condition 16

For test case 16, a Mach number of 1 was chosen and the vehicle was flown at an altitude of 51000 feet.
Under these flight conditions, the damping ratio was observed to be 0.1298, and since the value was greater
than zero, the model meets the requirement, given this test condition. Hence, passed.

21

Chapter 5. Model Description

The model used to generate the test data used in this report is a Simulink model based on a mathematical
model of a flutter suppression system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (see AIAA_96_3437.pdf [matlab:web(fullfile(matlabroot,'toolbox','rptgenext','rptgenextdemos','flutter_suppression','AIAA_96_3437.pdf'))]).
The Simulink model represents a physical wing model used for wind tunnel testing, aerodynamic forces on
the wing, and a flutter suppression system for the wing. The model uses Simscape modelling components
to model the wing. It uses Simulink blocks to model the flutter suppression system's controller and sensors.
Model inputs include flight conditions (desired pitch angle, speed (Mach number), and altitude) and an
initial pitch moment disturbance.The model snapshot is below:
qPSF
1

Qflutter = 147.1 PSF

161.5
Q (PSF)

-K -

theta

-K -

delta

-K -

Wing Plunge (in)

Wing Pitch (deg)
Aileron Pos (deg)

Plunge
Pitch
Aileron Pos

Enable/Disable Controller
Controller
error
Error

T E P os

T E Position
TE
P os
(deg)

Mach
1

Mach

Lift

Lift
Lift

6{6}

Desired angle

States
states
51000

Alt (ft)

Moment

Pitching Moment
Pitching
Moment
States P itc h

Altitude

6{6}

Aero Forces
Disturbance
Initial
Disturbance

Pulse
Generator

Outputs
BACT Wing & PAPA Mount

22

angle