Engineering topics

Schuster, David M.

Publications and source records attributed to Schuster, David M..

At least 37 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS2010

The Expanding Role of Applications in the Development and Validation of CFD at NASA

This paper focuses on the recent escalation in application of CFD to manned and unmanned flight projects at NASA and the need to often apply these methods to problems for which little or no previous validation data directly applies. The paper discusses the evolution of NASA.s CFD development from a strict Develop, Validate, Apply strategy to sometimes allowing for a Develop, Apply, Validate approach. The risks of this approach and some of its unforeseen benefits are discussed and tied to specific operational examples. There are distinct advantages for the CFD developer that is able to operate in this paradigm, and recommendations are provided for those inclined and willing to work in this environment.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Design and Analysis of Outer Mold Line Close-outs for the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) Flight Experiment

In 2007, the NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) chartered the NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC) to demonstrate an alternate launch abort concept as risk mitigation for the Orion project's baseline "tower" design. On July 8, 2009, a full scale, passive aerodynamically stabilized Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) pad abort demonstrator was successfully launched from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility. Aerodynamic close-outs were required to cover openings on the MLAS fairing to prevent aerodynamic flow-through and to maintain the MLAS OML surface shape. Two-ply duct tape covers were designed to meet these needs. The duct tape used was a high strength fiber reinforced duct tape with a rubberized adhesive that demonstrated 4.6 lb/in adhesion strength to the unpainted fiberglass fairing. Adhesion strength was observed to increase as a function of time. The covers were analyzed and experimentally tested to demonstrate their ability to maintain integrity under anticipated vehicle ascent pressure loads and to not impede firing of the drogue chute mortars. Testing included vacuum testing and a mortar fire test. Tape covers were layed-up on thin Teflon sheets to facilitate installation on the vehicle. Custom cut foam insulation board was used to fill mortar hole and separation joint cavities and provide support to the applied tape covers. Flight test results showed that the tape covers remained adhered during flight.

Woods-Vedeler, Jessica A.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Air Data Boom System Development for the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) Flight Experiment

Woods-Vedeler, Jessica A.↗

NASA NTRS2009

NASA Aerosciences Perspective on Proposed De-Scope of Ares I-X Development Flight Instrumentation

This position paper is written as a result of a number of emails and a presentation that have recently been circulated concerning the potential reduction of Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) to be included on the Ares I-X flight test vehicle. A reduction in instrumentation has been proposed presumably to reduce project costs and relieve project schedule pressures. This proposal has generated a significant amount of discussion on both sides of the issue, primarily from those within the project. The intention here is to provide a perspective on this issue from outside the mainline project.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Ares I-X Vibroacoustic Environments

This paper provides a summary of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) team recommendations and observations following participation with the Ares I-X Vibroacoustic (VA) Environments Panel in meetings at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in March and April 2008, respectively.

Larsen, Curtis E.↗

NASA NTRS2008

NASA Perspective on Requirements for Development of Advanced Methods Predicting Unsteady Aerodynamics and Aeroelasticity

Over the past three years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has initiated design, development, and testing of a new human-rated space exploration system under the Constellation Program. Initial designs within the Constellation Program are scheduled to replace the present Space Shuttle, which is slated for retirement within the next three years. The development of vehicles for the Constellation system has encountered several unsteady aerodynamics challenges that have bearing on more traditional unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic analysis. This paper focuses on the synergy between the present NASA challenges and the ongoing challenges that have historically been the subject of research and method development. There are specific similarities in the flows required to be analyzed for the space exploration problems and those required for some of the more nonlinear unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic problems encountered on aircraft. The aggressive schedule, significant technical challenge, and high-priority status of the exploration system development is forcing engineers to implement existing tools and techniques in a design and application environment that is significantly stretching the capability of their methods. While these methods afford the users with the ability to rapidly turn around designs and analyses, their aggressive implementation comes at a price. The relative immaturity of the techniques for specific flow problems and the inexperience with their broad application to them, particularly on manned spacecraft flight system, has resulted in the implementation of an extensive wind tunnel and flight test program to reduce uncertainty and improve the experience base in the application of these methods. This provides a unique opportunity for unsteady aerodynamics and aeroelastic method developers to test and evaluate new analysis techniques on problems with high potential for acquisition of test and even flight data against which they can be evaluated. However, researchers may be required to alter the geometries typically used in their analyses, the types of flows analyzed, and even the techniques by which computational tools are verified and validated. This paper discusses these issues and provides some perspective on the potential for new and innovative approaches to the development of methods to attack problems in nonlinear unsteady aerodynamics.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Aeroelastic Response and Protection of Space Shuttle External Tank Cable Trays

Sections of the Space Shuttle External Tank Liquid Oxygen (LO2) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) cable trays are shielded from potentially damaging airloads with foam Protuberance Aerodynamic Load (PAL) Ramps. Flight standard design LO2 and LH2 cable tray sections were tested with and without PAL Ramp models in the United States Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center s (AEDC) 16T transonic wind tunnel to obtain experimental data on the aeroelastic stability and response characteristics of the trays and as part of the larger effort to determine whether the PAL ramps can be safely modified or removed. Computational Fluid Dynamic simulations of the full-stack shuttle launch configuration were used to investigate the flow characeristics around and under the cable trays without the protective PAL ramps and to define maximum crossflow Mach numbers and dynamic pressures experienced during launch. These crossflow conditions were used to establish wind tunnel test conditions which also included conservative margins. For all of the conditions and configurations tested, no aeroelastic instabilities or unacceptable dynamic response levels were encountered and no visible structural damage was experienced by any of the tested cable tray sections. Based upon this aeroelastic characterization test, three potentially acceptable alternatives are available for the LO2 cable tray PAL Ramps: Mini-Ramps, Tray Fences, or No Ramps. All configurations were tested to maximum conditions, except the LH2 trays at -15 deg. crossflow angle. This exception is the only caveat preventing the proposal of acceptable alternative configurations for the LH2 trays as well. Structural assessment of all tray loads and tray response measurements from launches following the Shuttle Return To Flight with the existing PAL Ramps will determine the acceptability of these PAL Ramp alternatives.

Edwards, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Application of Computational Stability and Control Techniques Including Unsteady Aerodynamics and Aeroelastic Effects

The motivation behind the inclusion of unsteady aerodynamics and aeroelastic effects in the computation of stability and control (S&C) derivatives will be discussed as they pertain to aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic analysis. This topic will be addressed in the context of two applications, the first being the estimation of S&C derivatives for a cable-mounted aeroservoelastic wind tunnel model tested in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The second application will be the prediction of the nonlinear aeroservoelastic phenomenon known as Residual Pitch Oscillation (RPO) on the B-2 Bomber. Techniques and strategies used in these applications to compute S&C derivatives and perform flight simulations will be reviewed, and computational results will be presented.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Transonic Unsteady Aerodynamics of the F/A-18E at Conditions Promoting Abrupt Wing Stall

A transonic wind tunnel test of an 8% F/A-18E model was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel (16-Ft TT) to investigate the Abrupt Wing Stall (AWS) characteristics of this aircraft. During this test, both steady and unsteady measurements of balance loads, wing surface pressures, wing root bending moments, and outer wing accelerations were performed. The test was conducted with a wide range of model configurations and test conditions in an attempt to reproduce behavior indicative of the AWS phenomenon experienced on full-scale aircraft during flight tests. This paper focuses on the analysis of the unsteady data acquired during this test. Though the test apparatus was designed to be effectively rigid. model motions due to sting and balance flexibility were observed during the testing, particularly when the model was operating in the AWS flight regime. Correlation between observed aerodynamic frequencies and model structural frequencies are analyzed and presented. Significant shock motion and separated flow is observed as the aircraft pitches through the AWS region. A shock tracking strategy has been formulated to observe this phenomenon. Using this technique, the range of shock motion is readily determined as the aircraft encounters AWS conditions. Spectral analysis of the shock motion shows the frequencies at which the shock oscillates in the AWS region, and probability density function analysis of the shock location shows the propensity of the shock to take on a bi-stable and even tri-stable character in the AWS flight regime.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Computational Aeroelasticity: Success, Progress, Challenge

The formal term Computational Aeroelasticity (CAE) has only been recently adopted to describe aeroelastic analysis methods coupling high-level computational fluid dynamics codes with structural dynamics techniques. However, the general field of aeroelastic computations has enjoyed a rich history of development and application since the first hand-calculations performed in the mid 1930 s. This paper portrays a much broader definition of Computational Aeroelasticity; one that encompasses all levels of aeroelastic computation from the simplest linear aerodynamic modeling to the highest levels of viscous unsteady aerodynamics, from the most basic linear beam structural models to state-of-the-art Finite Element Model (FEM) structural analysis. This paper is not written as a comprehensive history of CAE, but rather serves to review the development and application of aeroelastic analysis methods. It describes techniques and example applications that are viewed as relatively mature and accepted, the "successes" of CAE. Cases where CAE has been successfully applied to unique or emerging problems, but the resulting techniques have proven to be one-of-a-kind analyses or areas where the techniques have yet to evolve into a routinely applied methodology are covered as "progress" in CAE. Finally the true value of this paper is rooted in the description of problems where CAE falls short in its ability to provide relevant tools for industry, the so-called "challenges" to CAE.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

MAVRIC Flutter Model Transonic Limit Cycle Oscillation Test

The Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation semi-span wind-tunnel model (MAVRIC-I), a business jet wing-fuselage flutter model, was tested in NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel with the goal of obtaining experimental data suitable for Computational Aeroelasticity code validation at transonic separation onset conditions. This research model is notable for its inexpensive construction and instrumentation installation procedures. Unsteady pressures and wing responses were obtained for three wingtip configurations of clean, tipstore, and winglet. Traditional flutter boundaries were measured over the range of M = 0.6 to 0.9 and maps of Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) behavior were made in the range of M = 0.85 to 0.95. Effects of dynamic pressure and angle-of-attack were measured. Testing in both R134a heavy gas and air provided unique data on Reynolds number, transition effects, and the effect of speed of sound on LCO behavior. The data set provides excellent code validation test cases for the important class of flow conditions involving shock-induced transonic flow separation onset at low wing angles, including LCO behavior.

Edwards, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Aerodynamic Measurements on a Large Splitter Plate for the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel

Tests conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) assess the aerodynamic characteristics of a splitter plate used to test some semispan models in this facility. Aerodynamic data are analyzed to determine the effect of the splitter plate on the operating characteristics of the TDT, as well as to define the range of conditions over which the plate can be reasonably used to obtain aerodynamic data. Static pressures measurements on the splitter plate surface and the equipment fairing between the wind tunnel wall and the splitter plate are evaluated to determine the flow quality around the apparatus over a range of operating conditions. Boundary layer rake data acquired near the plate surface define the viscous characteristics of the flow over the plate. Data were acquired over a range of subsonic, transonic and supersonic conditions at dynamic pressures typical for models tested on this apparatus. Data from this investigation should be used as a guide for the design of TDT models and tests using the splitter plate, as well as to guide future splitter plate design for this facility.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

MAVRIC Flutter Model Transonic Limit Cycle Oscillation Test

The Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation semi-span wind-tunnel model (MAVRIC-I), a business jet wing-fuselage flutter model, was tested in NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel with the goal of obtaining experimental data suitable for Computational Aeroelasticity code validation at transonic separation onset conditions. This research model is notable for its inexpensive construction and instrumentation installation procedures. Unsteady pressures and wing responses were obtained for three wingtip configurations clean, tipstore, and winglet. Traditional flutter boundaries were measured over the range of M = 0.6 to 0.9 and maps of Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) behavior were made in the range of M = 0.85 to 0.95. Effects of dynamic pressure and angle-of-attack were measured. Testing in both R134a heavy gas and air provided unique data on Reynolds number, transition effects, and the effect of speed of sound on LCO behavior. The data set provides excellent code validation test cases for the important class of flow conditions involving shock-induced transonic flow separation onset at low wing angles, including Limit Cycle Oscillation behavior.

Edwards, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Dynamic Deformation Measurements of an Aeroelastic Semispan Model

The techniques used to acquire, reduce, and analyze dynamic deformation measurements of an aeroelastic semispan wind tunnel model are presented. Single-camera, single-view video photogrammetry (also referred to as videogrammetric model deformation, or VMD) was used to determine dynamic aeroelastic deformation of the semispan 'Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation' (MAVRIC) model in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center. Dynamic deformation was determined from optical retroreflective tape targets at five semispan locations located on the wing from the root to the tip. Digitized video images from a charge coupled device (CCD) camera were recorded and processed to automatically determine target image plane locations that were then corrected for sensor, lens, and frame grabber spatial errors. Videogrammetric dynamic data were acquired at a 60-Hz rate for time records of up to 6 seconds during portions of this flutter/Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) test at Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.96. Spectral analysis of the deformation data is used to identify dominant frequencies in the wing motion. The dynamic data will be used to separate aerodynamic and structural effects and to provide time history deflection data for Computational Aeroelasticity code evaluation and validation.

Graves, Sharon S.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Benchmark Active Controls Technology (BACT) Wing CFD Results

The Benchmark Active Controls Technology (BACT) wing test (see chapter 8E) provides data for the validation of aerodynamic, aeroelastic, and active aeroelastic control simulation codes. These data provide a rich database for development and validation of computational aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic methods. In this vein, high-level viscous CFD analyses of the BACT wing have been performed for a subset of the test conditions available in the dataset. The computations presented in this section investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of the rigid clean wing configuration as well as simulations of the wing with a static and oscillating aileron and spoiler deflection. Two computational aeroelasticity codes extensively used at NASA Langley Research Center are implemented in this simulation. They are the ENS3DAE and CFL3DAE computational aeroelasticity programs. Both of these methods solve the three-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations for both rigid and flexible vehicles, but they use significantly different approaches to the solution 6f the aerodynamic equations of motion. Detailed descriptions of both methods are presented in the following section.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

An Overview of Unsteady Pressure Measurements in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel

The NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel has served as a unique national facility for aeroelastic testing for over forty years. A significant portion of this testing has been to measure unsteady pressures on models undergoing flutter, forced oscillations, or buffet. These tests have ranged from early launch vehicle buffet to flutter of a generic high-speed transport. This paper will highlight some of the test techniques, model design approaches, and the many unsteady pressure tests conducted in the TDT. The objectives and results of the data acquired during these tests will be summarized for each case and a brief discussion of ongoing research involving unsteady pressure measurements and new TDT capabilities will be presented.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Sample of NASA Langley Unsteady Pressure Experiments for Computational Aerodynamics Code Evaluation

As computational fluid dynamics methods mature, code development is rapidly transitioning from prediction of steady flowfields to unsteady flows. This change in emphasis offers a number of new challenges to the research community, not the least of which is obtaining detailed, accurate unsteady experimental data with which to evaluate new methods. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) have been actively measuring unsteady pressure distributions for nearly 40 years. Over the last 20 years, these measurements have focused on developing high-quality datasets for use in code evaluation. This paper provides a sample of unsteady pressure measurements obtained by LaRC and available for government, university, and industry researchers to evaluate new and existing unsteady aerodynamic analysis methods. A number of cases are highlighted and discussed with attention focused on the unique character of the individual datasets and their perceived usefulness for code evaluation. Ongoing LaRC research in this area is also presented.

Schuster, David M.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Development, Analysis and Testing of the High Speed Research Flexible Semispan Model

This report presents the work performed by Lockheed Martin Engineering and Sciences (LMES) in support of the High Speed Research (HSR) Flexible Semispan Model (FSM) wind-tunnel test. The test was conducted in order to assess the aerodynamic and aeroelastic character of a flexible high speed civil transport wing. Data was acquired for the purpose of code validation and trend evaluation for this type of wing. The report describes a number of activities in preparing for and conducting the wind-tunnel test. These included coordination of the design and fabrication, development of analytical models, analysis/hardware correlation, performance of laboratory tests, monitoring of model safety issues, and wind-tunnel data acquisition and reduction. Descriptions and relevant evaluations associated with the pretest data are given in sections 1 through 6, followed by pre- and post-test flutter analysis in section 7, and the results of the aerodynamics/loads test in section 8. Finally, section 9 provides some recommendations based on lessons learned throughout the FSM program.

Schuster, David M.↗