A Novel SMA-based Concept for Airfoil Structural Morphing

The adaptive structures concept is of great interest in the aerospace field because of the several benefits which can be accomplished in the fields including noise reduction, load alleviation, weight reduction, etc., at a level in which they can be considered as compulsory in the design of future ai...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of materials engineering and performance 2009-08, Vol.18 (5-6), p.696-705
Main Authors: Barbarino, S., Pecora, R., Lecce, L., Concilio, A., Ameduri, S., Calvi, E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerodynamic loads
Aircraft components
Airfoils
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Corrosion and Coatings
Devices
Engineering Design
Materials Science
Morphing
Quality Control
Reliability
Safety and Risk
Shape memory alloys
Trailing edges
Tribology
Weight reduction
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Summary:The adaptive structures concept is of great interest in the aerospace field because of the several benefits which can be accomplished in the fields including noise reduction, load alleviation, weight reduction, etc., at a level in which they can be considered as compulsory in the design of future aircraft. Improvements in terms of the aerodynamic efficiency, aeroelastic behavior, stability, and manoeuvrability performance have already been proved through many international studies in the past. In the family of the Smart Materials, Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) seem to be a suitable solution for many static applications. Their high structural integrability in conjunction with actuation capabilities and a favorable performance per weight ratio, allows the development of original architectures. In this study, a morphing wing trailing edge concept is presented; morphing ability was introduced with the aim of replacing a conventional flap device. A compliant rib structure was designed, based on SMA actuators exhibiting structural potential (bearing external aerodynamic loads). Numerical results, achieved through a FE approach, are presented in terms of trailing edge induced displacement and morphed shape.
ISSN:1059-9495
1544-1024
DOI:10.1007/s11665-009-9356-3