Homework set #2

Due February 4, 2011

A-1
 AAE556

2.1 Three identical uncambered

wing segments are connected to
each other by torsional springs and V
to the wind tunnel walls by
additional torsion springs, as e S
1Area=S
Area=S e3
S 2Area=S
indicated in the figure. The four
torsion springs have the same spring KT KT KT KT
constant KT. The wing segments are
mounted on bearings on a spindle
attached to the tunnel walls.
Problem 2.1
(a) Develop the equations of static
equilibrium at neutral stability. The three degrees of freedom are 1, 2 and 3.
(b) Write the expression for the strain energy stored in this configuration as a function of the
torsional displacements. Use the energy method to derive the system stiffness matrix in terms of
the three torsional deflections. Compare this result to that found in part (a). They should be
identical.
(c) Solve for the three dynamic pressures that create neutral stability.
(d) Find the mode shapes at all neutral stability points. Describe the mode shapes (how do
the surfaces deflect relative to each other?).
(e) Which of the three dynamic pressures in part (c) is the divergence dynamic pressure?

A-2
Problem 2.2
V
Two wing sections are mounted on shafts line of aerodynamic centers
attached to each other and to a wind
tunnel wall, as indicated. Note that the e
d A
two torsion spring stiffnesses are equal, e

but are offset an amount d. This 1 2 A

configuration is similar to, but not
identical to, the example in Section 2.18. b/2 b/2
torsional spring
stiffness K (in-lb/rad)
torsional spring
stiffness K (in-lb/rad)

When the sections are placed in the wind 2+

tunnel at an angle of attack o, the two 1+

springs deform, as indicated in the view A-A

diagram. Lift on the two, identical,

uncambered wing sections is
Problem 2.2
L1  qSCL  o  1 

L2  qSCL o   2 

(a) Place an aileron on the outer (right-hand) section. This aileron has aerodynamic coefficients
CLd and C MACd
Develop the static equilibrium equations for the system when there is no initial
angle of attack, but the control surface is deflected downward an amount do.
(b) Specialize the result in part (a) by making the aileron flap-to-chord ratio E = 0.15 with d/e = 1 and
e/c = 0.10. Solve for the rolling moment generated by the aileron as a function of dynamic
pressure, q.. Use Section 2.18 as an example of how this is done.
(c) Solve for the reversal speed.

Part (a): The static equilibrium equations for the system when there is no initial angle of attack, but the
control surface is deflected downward an amount do.
�
� d� �CLd � �c ��CMACd �
�
� d � �
�1  �
� � �� � �
�
1 - �
� � e �
� C � �e �CL
� �
2K
� 1 �
- K �� e �1 � � � L � �  �
�
� �� �- qSeCL � �� � qSeCL d o � �
-K
� 2
K ��� � d  �CLd �
0 1 � 2 � �d �
� �
�
�
� e�
� � �� �CL � �
� � e �
�  �

CLd CMACd
 0.4805 and  -0.0966
CL CL
The aileron coefficients are computed to be: . With d/e = 1 and c/e
= 10 I get:

A-3
 �2 -1��1 � � 1 �
1 -1�� �-0.0051�
� � �- q � � q d o � �
-1 1 ���
����� 2 �
0 2 � 2 0.4805

1 �
� qd o � 0.4754 - 0.4703q  �
� � � �
2
�  2q - 4q  1
2
� 0.956 - 0.4805q  �

The lift on each section is:

�L1 � 1
�� 2.081q �0.4754 - 0.4703q �
� �  qSC d
Ld o �� qSC d �
�L2 1
�
Ld o

2 q 2 - 4q  1 � 0.956 - 0.4805q  �

�
1.021q 2 - 3.011q  1 �
L1  qSCLd d o � �
� 
� 2q 2 - 4q  1  �
�
�1.00q 2 - 2.011q  1 �
L2  qSCLd d o � �
� 
� 2q 2 - 4q  1  �
�

b
� 3b ��L1 � b �L1 � 1
M Roll  � � � � �� �  L1b  3L2b 
 1
� 3 �
�4 4�� L2
�� 4 L2 4

M Roll 

qSCLd d o 1.005q 2 - 2.261q  1 
 2q 2

- 4q  1

A-4
Problem 2.3
The wing idealization is shown in the figure will
Wind tunnel wing segment model cross-section
be tested in the wind tunnel at several different
airspeeds and in several different configurations.
All testing is to be done at sea level conditions and
at such low speed that the flow field is
incompressible. Changes in the position of the
wing box change the wing shear center position
and the offset distance between the shear center
and the aerodynamic center. For instance, when
the shear center is at the mid-chord, when the
shear center is at the wing mid-chord the offset
distance e is equal to c/4. Preliminary wind tunnel testing shows that the wing divergence dynamic
100 lb / ft2 .
pressure is

CL
The team aerodynamicist predicts that the ratio CMAC / is -0.075 and the lift curve slope is 4.0; the
2
S 10 ft. . The section angle of attack  o for all tests will be pre-set to 3o.
reference planform area is

Problem
a) Develop the expression for the lift force when the shear center is located at the mid-chord. Find the
twist angle  as a function of wind tunnel airspeed.

b) Consider the same wing with different wing shear center locations. The offset distance eo = c/4 when
the shear center is located at the mid-chord (part (a)) is to be used as the reference and ei is the offset
when the shear center is moved. Develop the equations for wing lift L and twist  as functions of the
ei
ratio eo . Write these expressions in nondimensional form, but use the divergence q for the reference
ei
wing as the reference in all expressions, because the divergence speed changes with eo .

ei
(c) Plot wing lift and twist angle vs. airspeed for four eo values of 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75. Use an
airspeed range between zero and 150 ft/sec.

A-5
Hints for Problem 2.3 in the text
A rigid wing is attached to a wind-tunnel
wall by a linear torsion spring. This
Problem 2.4 - Wing with flexible tip support
wing also has a small wing attached to
its tip. The idealized tip surface
produces lift LS according to the
assumed simple relationship

LS  qStipCL S  S

where  S is the streamwise angle of

CL S
attack of this small surface; is the
Stip
tip surface lift curve slope, while is
the tip surface area.

The tip device is connected to the wing

tip by a torsion spring with stiffness k in-
lb/radian. When the tip device rotates an angle  with respect to the wing tip a restoring torque k is
generated to oppose this rotation.

L  qSCL 
The idealized wing lift is with    o   .

Problem statement
a) Write the equations of torsional equilibrium for this system when the entire system is given an
initial angle of attack. Express these equations in terms of the following non-dimensional
qSeC L Stip CLd es k
q SR  kR 
KT SCL e KT .
parameters; ; ; Derive the characteristic equation for
q
aeroelastic divergence D in terms of these parameters.
b) Plot the divergence dynamic pressure parameter qD as a function of SR when k R  10 and k R  1

Partial answers

�� qSeCL � � k � �
��1- � �- � � � 1 �
�� KT � � KT � �� � qSeC L � �
� �� �  o �Stip esCLd �
� qStip es CLd � �k qStip es CLd �  K
��- �� - ��
�
T � SeC
� L
�
�
�� K T � �KT KT �
�
�

A-6
 2
�k R � �k R � kR
�  1  k R �� �  1  k R �- 4
S
�R � S
�R � SR
qD 
2

qSeCL Stip CLd es k

q SR  kR 
KT SCL e KT
with and

kR k SCL e � k
�SCL e � � qDtip
 �  � � �
S R KT Stip CLd es � KT � �Stip C L es � qD wing
The ratio � d �

is the ratio of divergence q’s for the tip

device alone and the wing alone. q divergence of system/q divergence of wing alone
When kr = 10 and SR = 0.1 then
qSeCL
q  0.9083
KT
When kr = 10 and SR = 0.5 then
qSeCL
q  0.6592
Dynamic pressure ratio

KT
The larger the size of the tip device,
the lower the value of divergence
dynamic pressure.

The divergence dynamic pressure is

plotted against the ratio of tip device
area beginning with SR = 0.1 and
ending with SR = 1.

10 x SR

A-7
A-8