Keywords

Morphing, Gusts, Span-Wise Twisting, Aerodynamics

Abstract

Wind gust encounters create a highly unstable and unpredictable environment for air vehicles. Small aircraft are especially susceptible to gust-induced disturbances due to their limited size and weight, leading to significant fluctuations during flight. This study introduces a novel concept involving a twisting mechanism along the wingspan, allowing for span wise variations in pitch. Using a towing tank and a gust generator apparatus, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism. Force data and flow field data obtained from Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) provide insights into the vortex mechanisms at play. A Modified Discrete Vortex Method using the leading-edge separation parameter is developed and used to develop optimized twisting kinematics.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Bhattacharya, Samik

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Identifier

DP0029380

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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