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Nonintrusive Polynomial Chaos Approach for Nonlinear Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification

Publication ,  Journal Article
Thomas, JP; Dowell, EH
Published in: Journal of Aircraft
December 1, 2025

A point collocation nonintrusive polynomial chaos approach is presented for nonlinear aeroelastic uncertainty quantification analysis. A unique aspect of the approach is the use of a nonlinear frequency-domain harmonic balance aeroelastic solution methodology, which allows one to directly solve for the data points that comprise an aeroelastic Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) unsteady first harmonic pitching motion response amplitude versus reduced velocity curve. Other researchers have typically framed their aeroelastic uncertainty quantification analysis methods around time-domain aeroelastic solvers, where an indirect measure of aeroelastic stability, such as aeroelastic damping, is the dependent variable for which one performs an uncertainty quantification analysis. The presented method allows one to directly determine uncertainty quantification for an aeroelastic limit cycle oscillation response curve, including possible unstable branches of such curves, which would be challenging with a time domain approach. The technique is demonstrated for uncertainty in freestream Mach number and airfoil structural static unbalance for a two-dimensional model of the NASA Benchmark Models Program B0012 NACA 0012 airfoil section aeroelastic wing configuration.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of Aircraft

DOI

EISSN

1533-3868

ISSN

0021-8669

Publication Date

December 1, 2025

Volume

62

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1687 / 1697

Related Subject Headings

  • Aerospace & Aeronautics
  • 40 Engineering
  • 09 Engineering
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Thomas, J. P., & Dowell, E. H. (2025). Nonintrusive Polynomial Chaos Approach for Nonlinear Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification. Journal of Aircraft, 62(6), 1687–1697. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C038249
Thomas, J. P., and E. H. Dowell. “Nonintrusive Polynomial Chaos Approach for Nonlinear Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification.” Journal of Aircraft 62, no. 6 (December 1, 2025): 1687–97. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C038249.
Thomas JP, Dowell EH. Nonintrusive Polynomial Chaos Approach for Nonlinear Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification. Journal of Aircraft. 2025 Dec 1;62(6):1687–97.
Thomas, J. P., and E. H. Dowell. “Nonintrusive Polynomial Chaos Approach for Nonlinear Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification.” Journal of Aircraft, vol. 62, no. 6, Dec. 2025, pp. 1687–97. Scopus, doi:10.2514/1.C038249.
Thomas JP, Dowell EH. Nonintrusive Polynomial Chaos Approach for Nonlinear Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification. Journal of Aircraft. 2025 Dec 1;62(6):1687–1697.

Published In

Journal of Aircraft

DOI

EISSN

1533-3868

ISSN

0021-8669

Publication Date

December 1, 2025

Volume

62

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1687 / 1697

Related Subject Headings

  • Aerospace & Aeronautics
  • 40 Engineering
  • 09 Engineering