Aeroelastic Dynamic Analysis of a Full F-16 Configuration for Various Flight Conditions

• Published in: AIAA journal 2003-03, Vol.41 (3), p.363-371
• Main Authors: Geuzaine, Philippe, Brown, Gregory, Harris, Chuck, Farhat, Charbel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerodynamics; Computational techniques; Exact sciences and technology; Finite-element and galerkin methods; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Mathematical methods in physics; Nonlinear programming; Physics; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Vibration, mechanical wave, dynamic stability (aeroelasticity, vibration control...); Vibrations and mechanical waves
• ISSN: 0001-1452; 1533-385X
• DOI: 10.2514/2.1975

An overview is given of recent advances in a three-field methodology for modeling and solving nonlinear fluid-structure interaction problems, and its application to the prediction of the aeroelastic frequencies and damping coefficients of a full F-16 configuration in various subsonic, transonic, and supersonic airstreams is reported. In this three-field methodology the flow is described by the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian form of the Euler equations, the structure is represented by a detailed finite element model, and the fluid mesh is unstructured, dynamic, and updated by a robust torsional spring analogy method. Simulation results are presented for stabilized, accelerated, low-g , and high-g flight conditions, and correlated with flight-test data. Consequently, the practical feasibility and potential of the described computational-fluid-dynamics-based computational method for the flutter analysis of high-performance aircraft, particularly in the transonic regime, are discussed. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]