Aeroelasticity
Lecture 4:
Theodorsen for non-sinusoidal
motion
G. Dimitriadis
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Time domain responses
@ Theodorsen analysis requires that the
equations of motion are only valid at zero
airspeed or at the flutter condition.
@ They are also valid in the case of forced
sinusoidal excitation.
@ We can calculate the response of an
aeroelastic system with Theodorsen
aerodynamics to any excitation force
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Frequency Response Function
@ Imagine that we excite the pitch-plunge airfoil
at the leading edge with a force F0expjt.
@ The equations of motion become
#1&
$ 'F0
%x f (
@ This equation is of the form H()q0=F, where
H-1() is the Frequency Response Function.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
FRF for pitch-plunge system
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Introduction to Aeroelasticity
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Working with the FRF
@ If the force is non-sinusoidal, F0=F0().
@ The systems response to such a force is
obtained as q0()=H()-1F().
@ If F()=1 then the inverse Fourier
Transform of q0() is the systems impulse
response.
@ The impulse response can also be used to
perform stability analysis.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Impulse response of
pitch-plunge airfoil
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Introduction to Aeroelasticity
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Damped sinusoidal motion
@ The previous discussion shows that:
Theodorsen aerodynamics are only valid for
sinusoidal motion
Yet Theodorsen aerodynamics can be used to
calculate damped impulse responses
@ Stability analysis is slow and and can be less
accurate when performed on impulse
responses
@ We need a method for calculating the
damping at all airspeeds directly from the
equations of motion
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-k Method
@ The p-k method is the most popular
technique for obtaining aeroelastic
solutions
@ It was started in the 80s and since then
has become the industrial standard
@ Virtually all aircraft flying today have
been designed using the p-k method
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Basics
@ The p-k method uses the structural
equations of motion in the standard
form
@ Coupled with Theodorsen aerodynamic
forces of the form
With k=b/U
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Basics (2)
@ Remember that this is only correct if the
response is sinusoidal, since the
Theodorsen lift is equal to
@ The p-k method mixes h(t), which is a
general function, with h0expjt.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Basics (3)
@ Therefore, the equations contain terms
that depend on frequency
@ The basis of the p-k method is to define
@ Then, the equations of motion become
1
$ 2
&
2
p M s + K s U Q( p) q = 0
%
'
2
@ Where q=[h ]T.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Using p
@ Using the p notation, the Q(p) matrix
becomes:
2
(
p
2$ p&
2cC ( k ) 2b
*
%U'
U
*
*
Q( p) = *
2
c& 2$ p&
p
$
2
*2ec C ( k ) + 2 x f b
%
2' % U '
U
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p
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& p
$ p&
2cC ( k ) 2b
2cC ( k ) c x f
2b 2
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'U
%U'
U
p
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&
2ec 2C ( k ) 2 c x f b 2 +
%4
'
U
@ i.e. it is a polynomial function of p (or p/U).
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
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24
p
3
p
b
p
c
$
&
$
& $ &
$ & 2b 2 x f
2ec 2C ( k ) c x f
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2
The p-method
@ The p-method consists of solving this
eigenvalue problem for p.
1
$ 2
&
p M s + K s U 2Q( p) q = 0
%
'
2
@ Its a nonlinear eigenvalue problem but
polynomial so it can be solved.
@ The p values will generally be complex.
@ There is no guarantee that the real parts of
the p values will have the correct value
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-k method
@ The p-k method is more sophisticated than
the p-method in that it performs frequency
matching
@ The equations solved are
1
$ 2
&
p M s + K s U 2Q( jk ) q = 0
%
'
2
(2)
@ Since it is known that the aerodynamic
matrix is only a function of frequency (not
of damping)
@ Again, k=b/U
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Application to 2-dof model
@ The p-k equations for the 2-dof model
are:
#
%
%
%# m
% %$ S
%
%
$
S & 2 #Kk
(p +%
I '
$0
,
4C ( k ) jk + 2k 2
.
.
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2.
( U .
c& 2
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k
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4
ecC
k
jk
.
$ f 2'
.
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/&
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&
2cC ( k ) 2bjk 4C ( k ) c x f jk + 2b 2 k 2 1(
$4
'
1(
#3
&
2
1( 2 h 5 = 0
2ec C ( k ) 2 c x f bjk +
6
$4
'
1( 3
4 7
1(
2
b 2 2 1(
c& 2
#3
&
#
k + k
4ecC ( k ) c x f jk + 2 x f
$4
'
$
2'
4 10'
@ Notice that the Q matrix depends only
on k, not on flight condition
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
The p-k solution
@ The solution of these equations is iterative.
@ We guess a value for the frequency (and
hence k) and then we calculate p from the
resulting eigenvalue problem.
@ The norm of p should be equal to .
@ If it is not, we change the value of until the
scheme converges
@ This is called frequency matching
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Frequency matching
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
p-k method characteristics
@ Converges very quickly to the correct
eigenvalue
@ Suitable for large computational
problems
@ Calculates sub-critical damping ratios
@ Flutter speeds are very similar to the kmethod results
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Results
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Rogers Approximation
@ Another way to transform the p-k equations to
the time domain is using Rogers
Approximation.
@ The frequency-dependent part of equations
(2), Q(jk), is approximated as:
2
nl
Q( jk ) = A 0 + A1 jk + A 2 ( jk ) + A 2+n
n =1
jk
jk + n
@ Where nl is the number of aerodynamic lags
and n are aerodynamic lag coefficients.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
Rogers EOMs
@ The equations of motion of the complete
aeroelastic system then become:
$ M 1C M 1K M 1A 3 M 1A n l +2 '
& I
)
0
0
0
&
)
I
V 1 /bI
0
q = & 0
)q
&
)
&&
))
I
0
V n l /bI (
% 0
@ Where
1
1
1
1
M = M s b 2A 2 , C = Cs UbA1, K = K s U 2A 0 , A j = U 2A j
2
2
2
2
@ Usually:
n l = 4, n = 1.7kmax
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
(nl + 1)
, kmax = maximum k of interest
Practical Aeroelasticity
@ For an aircraft, the matrix Q(jk) is obtained using a
panel method-based aerodynamic model.
@ The modelling is usually performed by means of
commercial packages, such as MSC.Nastran or ZAero.
@ For a chosen set of k values, e.g. k1, k2, , km, the
corresponding Q matrices are returned.
@ The Q matrices are then used in conjunction with
the p-k method to obtain the flutter solution or
time-domain responses.
@ The values of Q at intermediate k values are
obtained by interpolation.
Introduction to Aeroelasticity
