Patricia Teixeira, Aerospace PhD Candidate

Although many studies have been done in propeller-wing interaction, little has been explored about propeller effects on very flexible aircraft (VFA). Moreover, state-of-the-art nonlinear aeroelastic frameworks lack complete propeller modeling, just using simple concentrated forces to model its thrust.

This work aims to fill this gap by incorporating propeller aerodynamics and inertial effects into an aeroelastic framework. For that, the University of Michigan’s Nonlinear Aeroelastic Simulation Toolbox (UM/NAST) is enhanced with an Unsteady Vortex Lattice for the lifting surfaces and a Lifting Line coupled with Viscous Vortex Particle (LL/VVP) method to model the propeller aerodynamics. In addition, inertia effects associated with the rigid rotating blades are modeled. Verification tests demonstrate the accuracy of each new component added to the enhanced framework.

Using the new developments, investigations of propeller effects on the aeroelastic response and stability of a representative High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft were performed. The results demonstrate that the presence of propellers can influence the aeroelastic response and stability of a VFA. Therefore, the additional propeller effects (besides just the incorporation of thrust) should not be neglected in aeroelastic simulations.

Dissertation Committee:

Chair: Prof. Carlos S. Cesnik
Cognate Member: Kevin J. Maki
Members: Prof. Peretz P. Friedmann and Prof. Daniel J. Inman

Publications:

Teixeira, P. C. and Cesnik, C. E. S., “Inclusion of Propeller Effects on Aeroelastic Behavior of Very Flexible Aircraft," International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics, IFASD 2017 , Como, Italy, 25-28 June 2017.

Teixeira, P. C. and Cesnik, C. E. S., “Propeller Effects on the Dynamic Response of HALE Aircraft” 2018 AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, AIAA SciTech Forum, AIAA Paper 2018-1953, January 2018.

Ritter, M., Teixeira, P. C., and Cesnik, C. E. S., “Comparison of Nonlinear Aeroelastic Methods for Maneuver Simulation of Very Flexible Aircraft," 2018 AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, AIAA SciTech Forum, AIAA Paper 2018-1953, January 2018.

Teixeira, P. C. and Cesnik, C. E. S., “Propeller Influence on the Stability of HALE Aircraft," 31st Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS), Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 9-14 September 2018.

Teixeira, P. C. and Cesnik, C. E. S., Propeller Effects on the Response of High Altitude Long-Endurance Aircraft," AIAA Journal

del Carre, A., Teixeira, P. C., Palacios, R., and Cesnik, C. E. S., “Nonlinear Response of a Very Flexible Aircraft Under Lateral Gust," International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics, IFASD, Savannah, Georgia, USA, Jun 2019.