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Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
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ItemA matched-harmonic confluence approach to rotor loads prediction with comprehensive application to flight test(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012-09-18) McColl, Chance C.Future management of helicopter fleets will be more heavily based on individual component damage tracking and less on legacy usage monitoring (flight parameter-based) methods. This enhances health assessment capabilities by taking into account the actual loads on a component-by-component basis. However, accurate loads prediction in rotating frame components remains a challenge. Even with advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques, prediction of the unsteady aerodynamic loads acting on the rotor blades is computationally intensive and problematic in terms of accurate loads prediction across the entire flight regime of the helicopter. High-speed flight can potentially introduce both shock and near-stall effects within a given rotor rotation. Low-speed flight can include blade-vortex interaction effects, wherein flow from a given blade (vorticity loading from tip vortices) impinges upon the preceding blade, causing unsteady aerodynamic loading that is difficult to quantity and predict numerically. Vehicle maneuvering can produce significantly higher blade pitching moments than steady flight. All of these regimes combine to represent the loading history of the rotor system. Therefore, accurate loads prediction methods, in terms of matching peak-to-peak, magnitude, phase, as well as vibratory/harmonic content, are required that capture all flight regimes for all critical structural components. This research focuses on the development of a loads prediction method, known as the Load Confluence Algorithm (LCA), and its application to the analysis of a large set of flight test data from the NASA/US Army UH-60A Airloads Program. The LCA combines measured response at a prescribed set of locations with a numerical model of the rotor system. For a given flight condition (steady flight, maneuvers, etc.) the numerical simulation's predicted loads distribution is iteratively incremented (by harmonic) until convergence with measured loads is reached at the prescribed locations (control points). Predicted loads response at non-instrumented locations is shown to be improved as well, thus enhancing fatigue lifing methods for these components. The procedure specifically investigates the harmonic content of the applied loads and the improved prediction of the harmonic components. The impact of the enhanced accuracy on loads predictions on component structural fatigue is illustrated by way of an example. Results show that, for a limited sensor set (two 3-axis sensors per blade), blade loads are accurately predicted across a full range of flight regimes. Hub loads are best modeled using the pushrod as the control point. Results also show that load magnitude has a tremendous influence on damage, with a 25% over-estimation of vibratory load resulting in a damage factor of nearly 3. This research highlights the importance of accurate loads prediction for a rotorcraft life tracking program. Small inaccuracies in loads lead to dramatic errors in damage assessment.
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ItemMultiscale analysis of wave propagation in heterogeneous structures(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012-07-02) Casadei, FilippoThe analysis of wave propagation in solids with complex microstructures, and local heterogeneities finds extensive applications in areas such as material characterization, structural health monitoring (SHM), and metamaterial design. Within continuum mechanics, sources of heterogeneities are typically associated to localized defects in structural components, or to periodic microstructures in phononic crystals and acoustic metamaterials. Numerical analysis often requires computational meshes which are refined enough to resolve the wavelengths of deformation and to properly capture the fine geometrical features of the heterogeneities. It is common for the size of the microstructure to be small compared to the dimensions of the structural component under investigation, which suggests multiscale analysis as an effective approach to minimize computational costs while retaining predictive accuracy. This research proposes a multiscale framework for the efficient analysis of the dynamic behavior of heterogeneous solids. The developed methodology, called Geometric Multiscale Finite Element Method (GMsFEM), is based on the formulation of multi-node elements with numerically computed shape functions. Such shape functions are capable to explicitly model the geometry of heterogeneities at sub-elemental length scales, and are computed to automatically satisfy compatibility of the solution across the boundaries of adjacent elements. Numerical examples illustrate the approach and validate it through comparison with available analytical and numerical solutions. The developed methodology is then applied to the analysis of periodic media, structural lattices, and phononic crystal structures. Finally, GMsFEM is exploited to study the interaction of guided elastic waves and defects in plate structures.
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ItemCombined analytical and experimental approaches to dynamic component stress prediction(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012-06-28) Chierichetti, MariaIn modern times, the ability to investigate the aeroelastic behavior of dynamic components on rotorcraft has become essential for the prediction of their useful fatigue life. At the same time, the aeroelastic modeling of a rotorcraft is particularly complex and costly. Inaccuracies in numerical predictions are mostly due to imprecisions in the structural modeling, to the presence of structural degradation or to the limited information on aerodynamic loads. The integration of experimental measurements on dynamic components such as rotor blades has the potential to improve fatigue estimation, augment the knowledge of the dynamic behavior and inform numerical models. The objective of this research is the development of a combined numerical and experimental approach, named Confluence Algorithm, that accurately predicts the response of dynamic components with a limited set of experimental data. The integration of experimental measurements into a numerical algorithm enables the continuous and accurate tracking of the dynamic strain and stress fields. The Confluence Algorithm systematically updates the numerical model of the external loads, and mass and stiffness distributions to improve the representation and extrapolation of the experimental data, and to extract information on the response of the system at non-measured locations. The capabilities of this algorithm are first verified in a numerical framework and with well-controlled lab experiments. Numerical results from a comprehensive UH-60A multibody model are then compared with available experimental data. These analyses demonstrate that the integration of the Confluence Algorithm improves the accuracy of the numerical prediction of the dynamic response of systems characterized by a periodic behavior, even in presence of non-linearities. The algorithm enables the use of simplified models that are corrected through experimental data to achieve accurate tracking of the system.
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ItemFrequency steerable acoustic transducers(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012-06-22) Senesi, MatteoStructural health monitoring (SHM) is an active research area devoted to the assessment of the structural integrity of critical components of aerospace, civil and mechanical systems. Guided wave methods have been proposed for SHM of plate-like structures using permanently attached piezoelectric transducers, which generate and sense waves to evaluate the presence of damage. Effective interrogation of structural health is often facilitated by sensors and actuators with the ability to perform directional scanning. In this research, the novel class of Frequency Steerable Acoustic Transducers (FSATs) is proposed for directional generation/sensing of guided waves. The FSATs are characterized by a spatial arrangement of the piezoelectric material which leads to frequency-dependent directionality. The resulting FSATs can be employed both for directional sensing and generation of guided waves, without relying on phasing and control of a large number of channels. Because there is no need for individual control of transducer elements, hardware and power requirements are drastically reduced so that cost and hardware limitations of traditional phased arrays can be partially overcome. The FSATs can be also good candidates for remote sensing and actuation applications, due to their hardware simplicity and robustness. Validation of the proposed concepts first employs numerical methods. Next, the prototyping of the FSATs allows an experimental investigation confirming the analytical and numerical predictions. Imaging algorithm based on frequency warping is also proposed to enhance results representation.
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ItemEvaluation of innovative concepts for semi-active and active rotorcraft control(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-11-14) Van Weddingen, YannickLead-lag dampers are present in most rotor systems to provide the desired level of damping for all flight conditions. These dampers are critical components of the rotor system, and the performance of semi-active Coulomb-friction-based lead-lag dampers is examined for the UH-60 aircraft. The concept of adaptive damping, or “damping on demand,” is discussed for both ground resonance and forward flight. The concept of selective damping is also assessed, and shown to face many challenges. In rotorcraft flight dynamics, optimized warping twist change is a potentially enabling technology to improve overall rotorcraft performance. Research efforts in recent years have led to the application of active materials for rotorcraft blade actuation. An innovative concept is proposed wherein the typically closed section blade is cut open to create a torsionally compliant structure that acts as its own amplification device; deformation of the blade is dynamically controlled by out-of-plane warping. Full-blade warping is shown to have the potential for great design flexibility. Recent advances in rotorcraft blade design have also focused on variable-camber airfoils, particularly concepts involving “truss-core” configurations. One promising concept is the use of hexagonal chiral lattice structures in continuously deformable helicopter blades. The static behavior of passive and active chiral networks using piezoelectric actuation strategies is investigated, including under typical aerodynamic load levels. The analysis is then extended to the dynamic response of active chiral networks in unsteady aerodynamic environments.
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ItemWave propagation in nonlinear periodic structures(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-12-20) Narisetti, Raj K.A periodic structure consists of spatially repeating unit cells. From man-made multi-span bridges to naturally occurring atomic lattices, periodic structures are ubiquitous. The periodicity can be exploited to generate frequency bands within which elastic wave propagation is impeded. A limitation to the linear periodic structure is that the filtering properties depend only on the structural design and periodicity which implies that the dispersion characteristics are fixed unless the overall structure or the periodicity is altered. The current research focuses on wave propagation in nonlinear periodic structures to explore tunability in filtering properties such as bandgaps, cut-off frequencies and response directionality. The first part of the research documents amplitude-dependent dispersion properties of weakly nonlinear periodic media through a general perturbation approach. The perturbation approach allows closed-form estimation of the effects of weak nonlinearities on wave propagation. Variation in bandstructure and bandgaps lead to tunable filtering and directional behavior. The latter is due to anisotropy in nonlinear interaction that generates low response regions, or "dead zones," within the structure.The general perturbation approach developed has also been applied to evaluate dispersion in a complex nonlinear periodic structure which is discretized using Finite Elements. The second part of the research focuses on wave dispersion in strongly nonlinear periodic structures which includes pre-compressed granular media as an example. Plane wave dispersion is studied through the harmonic balance method and it is shown that the cut-off frequencies and bandgaps vary significantly with wave amplitude. Acoustic wave beaming phenomenon is also observed in pre-compressed two-dimensional hexagonally packed granular media. Numerical simulations of wave propagation in finite lattices also demonstrated amplitude-dependent bandstructures and directional behavior so far observed.
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ItemHygrothermally stable laminated composites with optimal coupling(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-06-25) Haynes, Robert AndrewThis work begins by establishing the necessary and sufficient conditions for hygrothermal stability of composite laminates. An investigation is performed into the range of coupling achievable from within all hygrothermally stable families. The minimum number of plies required to create an asymmetric hygrothermally stable stacking sequence is found to be five. Next, a rigorous and general approach for determining designs corresponding to optimal levels of coupling is established through the use of a constrained optimization procedure. Couplings investigated include extension-twist, bend-twist, extension-bend, shear-twist, and anticlastic. For extension-twist and bend-twist coupling, specimens from five- through ten-ply laminates are manufactured and tested to demonstrate hygrothermal stability and achievable levels of coupling. Nonlinear models and finite element analysis are developed, and predictions are verified through comparison with test results. Sensitivity analyses are performed to demonstrate the robustness of the hygrothermal stability and couplings to deviations in ply angle, typical of manufacturing tolerances. Comparisons are made with current state-of-the-art suboptimal layups, and significant increases in coupling over previously known levels are demonstrated.
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ItemStructural damage diagnostics via wave propagation-based filtering techniques(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-06-11) Ayers, James ThomasStructural health monitoring (SHM) of aerospace components is a rapidly emerging field due in part to commercial and military transport vehicles remaining in operation beyond their designed life cycles. Damage detection strategies are sought that provide real-time information of the structure's integrity. One approach that has shown promise to accurately identify and quantify structural defects is based on guided ultrasonic wave (GUW) inspections, where low amplitude attenuation properties allow for long range and large specimen evaluation. One drawback to GUWs is that they exhibit a complex multi-modal response, such that each frequency corresponds to at least two excited modes, and thus intelligent signal processing is required for even the simplest of structures. In addition, GUWs are dispersive, whereby the wave velocity is a function of frequency, and the shape of the wave packet changes over the spatial domain, requiring sophisticated detection algorithms. Moreover, existing damage quantification measures are typically formulated as a comparison of the damaged to undamaged response, which has proven to be highly sensitive to changes in environment, and therefore often unreliable. As a response to these challenges inherent to GUW inspections, this research develops techniques to locate and estimate the severity of the damage. Specifically, a phase gradient based localization algorithm is introduced to identify the defect position independent of excitation frequency and damage size. Mode separation through the filtering technique is central in isolating and extracting single mode components, such as reflected, converted, and transmitted modes that may arise from the incident wave impacting a damage. Spatially-integrated single and multiple component mode coefficients are also formulated with the intent to better characterize wave reflections and conversions and to increase the signal to noise ratios. The techniques are applied to damaged isotropic finite element plate models and experimental data obtained from Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometry tests. Numerical and experimental parametric studies are conducted, and the current strengths and weaknesses of the proposed approaches are discussed. In particular, limitations to the damage profiling characterization are shown for low ultrasonic frequency regimes, whereas the multiple component mode conversion coefficients provide excellent noise mitigation. Multiple component estimation relies on an experimental technique developed for the estimation of Lamb wave polarization using a 1D Laser Vibrometer. Lastly, suggestions are made to apply the techniques to more structurally complex geometries.