Framework for Quantitative Morphing Assessment on Aircraft System Level

Wittmann, Juergen; Steiner, Hans-Joerg; Sizmann, A.; Luftfahrt, Bauhaus

doi:10.2514/6.2009-2129

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Mission segment analysis shows that most fuel savings due to morphing are obtained in the least-constrained (subsonic) flight segments. Wittmann et al (2009) gave a methodology to assess morphing strategies and technologies for a wide range of applications, including civil and military, using a variety of figures of merit to evaluate achievable benefits. For instance, a single degree-of-freedom variable-chord morphing concept evaluated for a high-speed scenario yielded 79% morphing efficiency for the maximum speed as a figure of merit.…”

Section: Benefits Of Morphingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Morphing Aircraft

Barbarino

Bilgen

Ajaj

et al. 2011

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures

1,113

647

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Aircraft wings are a compromise that allows the aircraft to fly at a range of flight conditions, but the performance at each condition is sub-optimal. The ability of a wing surface to change its geometry during flight has interested researchers and designers over the years as this reduces the design compromises required. Morphing is the short form for metamorphose; however, there is neither an exact definition nor an agreement between the researchers about the type or the extent of the geometrical changes necessary to qualify an aircraft for the title ‘shape morphing.’ Geometrical parameters that can be affected by morphing solutions can be categorized into: planform alteration (span, sweep, and chord), out-of-plane transformation (twist, dihedral/gull, and span-wise bending), and airfoil adjustment (camber and thickness). Changing the wing shape or geometry is not new. Historically, morphing solutions always led to penalties in terms of cost, complexity, or weight, although in certain circumstances, these were overcome by system-level benefits. The current trend for highly efficient and ‘green’ aircraft makes such compromises less acceptable, calling for innovative morphing designs able to provide more benefits and fewer drawbacks. Recent developments in ‘smart’ materials may overcome the limitations and enhance the benefits from existing design solutions. The challenge is to design a structure that is capable of withstanding the prescribed loads, but is also able to change its shape: ideally, there should be no distinction between the structure and the actuation system. The blending of morphing and smart structures in an integrated approach requires multi-disciplinary thinking from the early development, which significantly increases the overall complexity, even at the preliminary design stage. Morphing is a promising enabling technology for the future, next-generation aircraft. However, manufacturers and end users are still too skeptical of the benefits to adopt morphing in the near future. Many developed concepts have a technology readiness level that is still very low. The recent explosive growth of satellite services means that UAVs are the technology of choice for many investigations on wing morphing. This article presents a review of the state-of-the-art on morphing aircraft and focuses on structural, shape-changing morphing concepts for both fixed and rotary wings, with particular reference to active systems. Inflatable solutions have been not considered, and skin issues and challenges are not discussed in detail. Although many interesting concepts have been synthesized, few have progressed to wing tunnel testing, and even fewer have flown. Furthermore, any successful wing morphing system must overcome the weight penalty due to the additional actuation systems.

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Section: Benefits Of Morphingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Morphing Aircraft

Barbarino

Bilgen

Ajaj

et al. 2011

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures

1,113

647

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…To increase the overall efficiency (e.g. drag reduction) and to make the aircrafts more flexible in their flight profiles possibilities have to be found which enable adaptive aircrafts (and also evaluate these changes upon their impact on the overall performance) (Wittmann et al, 2009). Literature presents a lot of ideas, e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of flexible matrix composites (FMC) for fluidic actuators in morphing systems

Kirn¹,

Lorkowski²,

Baier

2011

International Journal of Structural Integrity

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -This paper seeks to focus on material combinations for flexible matrix composites (FMCs) and the production methods thereof. These materials enable a high flexibility in one direction while being very stiff in the other. Design/methodology/approach -Tested were rubber, silicone and thermoplastic elastomer matrices with carbon fibers using different production methods. These tests focused on the impregnation of the fibers with the different matrices and the orthotropy of the produced materials. Findings -In the paper, a production capability for large quantities of easy to use off-the-shelf material was developed. The produced material handles similar to prepreg material known from "classical" composite materials. Test specimens were manufactured and characterized for mechanical properties using tensile tests. Originality/value -These FMC materials are envisaged for a new pneumatic actuation system for an aircraft's droop nose to replace the electro-mechanical system designed in the SADE and SmartLED projects. Combining a tube-like geometry and a variable fiber-angle lay-up enables a wide range of deformation possibilities (large design freedom of movement behaviour).

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“…Effects of weight increase in morphing aircraft [11], performance of telescopic wings in loiter and attack missions [12] and overall quantification of morphing benefits [13] are just some examples of studies on this area.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Control and Energy Balance Evaluation of a Morphing Aircraft

Vale

Lau

Suleman

2013

54th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference

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ORPHING aircraft are usually defined as aircraft that are capable of large or small changes in its configuration that produce an increase in the aircraft performance parameters, usually expanding its operational range.Examples of morphing technologies are high lift devices such as flaps and slats, which are used since very early times in aviation history. These technologies allow the aircraft wing to change its camber and increase its chord and area, allowing the aircraft to fly at lower speeds during take-off and landing. More recently, there has been some research on new ways of changing camber and wing area through usage of several types of novel and traditional actuators [18]. Camber morphing is performed using smart materials as actuators. Piezoceramic composite actuators were studied and optimized for camber morphing using fluid-structure interaction [1] and further developments of this technology led to wind tunnel and flight demonstration [2]. Other studies about hingeless camber morphing wings using elastomeric skin patches [3] and on the static aeroelastic behaviour of such devices using nonlinear models [4] were also made. Shape memory alloy is another example of a smart materials used in camber morphing actuation [24]. Studies on aerodynamic optimization and internal structure calculations have been performed [29] as well as studies on determinate structures [28], both for camber morphing. Aerodynamic optimization of spanwise camber morphing in a high aspect ratio wing [5] is another example of a study involving camber change.New concepts for the traditional flaps have also been subject of research. Flaps achieving specific shapes at the trailing edge were studied through nonlinear numerical models [6]. Other novel but simple

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Framework for Quantitative Morphing Assessment on Aircraft System Level

Cited by 4 publications

References 19 publications

A Review of Morphing Aircraft

A Review of Morphing Aircraft

Development of flexible matrix composites (FMC) for fluidic actuators in morphing systems

Optimal Control and Energy Balance Evaluation of a Morphing Aircraft

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