Reduced-order models for computational-fluid-dynamics-based nonlinear aeroelastic problems

In this work, a nonlinear state-space-based identification method is proposed to describe compactly unsteady aerodynamic responses. Such a reduced-order model is trained on a series of signals that implicitly represent the relationship between the structural motion and the aerodynamic loads. The determination of the model parameters is obtained through a two-level training procedure where, in the first stage, the matrices associated to the linear part of the model are computed by a robust subspace projection technique, whereas the remaining nonlinear terms are determined by an output error-minimization procedure in the second stage. The present approach is tested on two different problems, proving the convergence toward the reference results obtained by a computational fluid dynamics solver in linear and nonlinear, aerodynamic, and aeroelastic applications, whereas the aerodynamic reduced-order models are coupled with the related structural mechanical systems, demonstrating the ability of capturing the main nonlinear features of the response. The robustness of the reduced-order model is then tested considering a series of inputs with varying amplitudes and frequencies outside the range of interest and computing aeroelastic responses with nonnull pretwist angles.

Duke Scholars

Author Earl H. Dowell Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...