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Weisshaar, Terrence A.

Publications and source records attributed to Weisshaar, Terrence A..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Validation of the Lockheed Martin Morphing Concept with Wind Tunnel Testing

The Morphing Aircraft Structures (MAS) program is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) led effort to develop morphing flight vehicles capable of radical shape change in flight. Two performance parameters of interest are loiter time and dash speed as these define the persistence and responsiveness of an aircraft. The geometrical characteristics that optimize loiter time and dash speed require different geometrical planforms. Therefore, radical shape change, usually involving wing area and sweep, allows vehicle optimization across many flight regimes. The second phase of the MAS program consisted of wind tunnel tests conducted at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel to demonstrate two morphing concepts and their enabling technologies with large-scale semi-span models. This paper will focus upon one of those wind tunnel tests that utilized a model developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company (LM). Wind tunnel success criteria were developed by NASA to support the DARPA program objectives. The primary focus of this paper will be the demonstration of the DARPA objectives by systematic evaluation of the wind tunnel model performance relative to the defined success criteria. This paper will also provide a description of the LM model and instrumentation, and document pertinent lessons learned. Finally, as part of the success criteria, aeroelastic characteristics of the LM derived MAS vehicle are also addressed. Evaluation of aeroelastic characteristics is the most detailed criterion investigated in this paper. While no aeroelastic instabilities were encountered as a direct result of the morphing design or components, several interesting and unexpected aeroelastic phenomenon arose during testing.

Ivanco, Thomas G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Design of a high capacity long range cargo aircraft

This report examines the design of a long range cargo transport to attempt to reduce ton-mile shipping costs and to stimulate the air cargo market. This design effort involves the usual issues but must also include consideration of: airport terminal facilities; cargo loading and unloading; and defeating the 'square-cube' law to design large structures. This report reviews the long range transport design problem and several solutions developed by senior student design teams at Purdue University. The results show that it will be difficult to build large transports unless the infrastructure is changed and unless the basic form of the airplane changes so that aerodynamic and structural efficiencies are employed.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The Design of an Ultra High Capacity Long Range Transport Aircraft

This paper examines the design of a 650 passenger aircraft with 8000 nautical mile range to reduce seat mile cost and to reduce airport and airway congestion. This design effort involves the usual issues that require trades between technologies, but must also include consideration of: airport terminal facilities; passenger loading and unloading; and, defeating the 'square-cube' law to design large structures. This paper will review the long range ultra high capacity or megatransport design problem and the variety of solutions developed by senior student design teams at Purdue University.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The design of a long range megatransport aircraft

During the period from August 1991 - June 1992 two design classes at Purdue University participated in the design of a long range, high capacity transport aircraft, dubbed the megatransport. Thirteen Purdue design teams generated RFP's that defined passenger capability and range, based upon team perception of market needs and infrastructure constraints. Turbofan engines were designed by each group to power these aircraft. The design problem and the variety of solutions developed are described in an attached paper.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Adaptive aeroelastic composite wings - Control and optimization issues

High-performance aircraft are adaptive machines composed of internal structural skeletons to which are attached control surfaces operated by hydraulic muscles to allow them to maneuver. The flight crew, avionic sensors and systems function as the brain and nervous system to adapt the machine to changing flight conditions, such as take-off, cruise and landing. The development of new materials that can expand or contract on command or change stiffness on demand will blur the now distinct boundaries between the structure, actuators and the control system. This paper discusses the use of imbedded active piezoelectric materials to change the aeroelastic stiffness of a lifting surface to allow this surface to control the aircraft. Expressions are developed for the piezoelectric material effectiveness when these active materials are combined with advanced composite structural materials for a swept, high-aspect-ratio wing. The interaction between advanced composite material properties and piezoelectric electromechanical properties is examined. The importance of choosing the proper active control laws is also illustrated.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The design of a long-range megatransport aircraft

Aircraft manufacturers are examining the market and feasibility of long-range passenger aircraft carrying more than 600 passengers. These aircraft would carry travelers at reduced cost and, at the same time, reduce congestion around major airports. The design of a large, long-range transport involves broad issues such as: the integration of airport terminal facilities; passenger loading and unloading; trade-offs between aircraft size and the cost to reconfigure these existing facilities; and, defeating the 'square-cube' law. Thirteen Purdue design teams generated RFP's that defined passenger capability and range, based upon team perception of market needs and infrastructure constraints. Turbofan engines were designed by each group to power these aircraft. The design problem and the variety of solutions developed are reviewed.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Design of a turbofan powered regional transport aircraft

The majority of the market for small commercial transport aircraft is dominated by high-efficiency, propeller-driven aircraft of non-U.S. manufacture. During the past year design teams responded to a Request For Proposal (RFP) for a regional transport aircraft. The RFP development identified promising world markets and their needs. Aircraft are designed with ranges of up to 1500 nautical miles and passenger loads between 50 and 90. During the design project, special emphasis was placed upon keeping acquisition cost and direct operating costs at a low level while providing passengers with superior comfort levels. This paper describes the background that led to this effort, and a brief description of some of the designs.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Aeroservoelastic tailoring for lateral control enhancement

The application of an automated optimization approach to the integrated structural and control design of an aircraft wing and its control surface is illustrated. The performance index or cost function for optimization is the aileron hinge moment required to sustain a specified terminal roll rate at a chosen design speed at which aeroelastic effects are significant. The design variables used for aileron hinge-moment minimization are the aileron flap-to-chord ratio; the location of the aileron with respect to the roll axis; and the orientations of three advanced composite plies comprising 60 percent of the wing structure. The effects of aileron location and advanced composite ply orientation on the terminal roll rate and aileron hinge moment are examined. Optimization is seen to involve a compromise between a laminated structure/aileron combination that is effective in creating large rolling moments and one that minimizes the damping-in-roll. These two requirements are in conflict; the optimization driver must locate a compromise design point by moving the control surface and changing its size while also creating a suitable structural design.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Integrated aeroservoelastic synthesis for roll control

The objective of this study is to illustrate an integrated, parallel design procedure for optimal structural, aerodynamic, and aileron synthesis of an aircraft wing. The effects of combining weight minimization with structural tailoring (ply orientation and thickness) of a lifting surface, together with the wing geometry (sweep angle and taper ratio), and the aileron geometry (spanwise location and chordwise size) upon the lateral control effectiveness are discussed. Several optimization studies for the minimization of aileron hinge moment and wing weight, subject to a specified constant aircraft roll rate at a design airspeed (roll effectiveness), are performed.

Nam, Chang-Ho↗
NASA NTRS1989

Design of a spanloader cargo aircraft

The design features of an aircraft capable of fulfilling a long haul, high capacity cargo mission are described. This span-loading aircraft, or flying wing, is capable of carrying extremely large payloads and is expected to be in demand to replace the slow-moving cargo ships currently in use. The spanloader seeks to reduce empty weight by eliminating the aircraft fuselage. Disadvantages are the thickness of the cargo-containing wing, and resulting stability and control problems. The spanloader presented here has a small fuselage, low-aspect ratio wings, winglets, and uses six turbofan engines for propulsion. It will have a payload capacity of 300,000 pounds plus 30 first class passengers and 6 crew members. Its projected market is transportation of freight from Europe and the U.S.A. to countries in the Pacific Basin. Cost estimates support its economic feasibility.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Results of a parametric aeroelastic stability analysis of a generic X-wing aircraft

This paper discusses the trends in longitudinal dynamic aeroelastic stability of a generic x-wing aircraft model with design parameter variations. X-wing rotor blade sweep angle, ratio of blade mass to total vehicle mass, blade structural stiffness cross-coupling and vehicle center-of-gravity location were parameters considered. The typical instability encountered is body-freedom flutter involving a low frequency interaction of the first elastic mode and the aircraft short period mode. Parametric cases with the lowest static margin consistently demonstrated the highest flutter dynamic pressures. As mass ratio was increased, the flutter boundary decreased. The decrease was emphasized as center-of-gravity location was moved forward. As sweep angle varied, it was observed that the resulting increase in forward-swept blade bending amplitude relative to aft blade bending amplitude in the first elastic mode had a stabilizing effect on the flutter boundary. Finally, small amounts of stiffness cross-coupling in the aft blades increased flutter dynamic pressure.

Woods, Jessica A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Aeroservoelastic tailoring for lateral control enhancement

The need for effective aileron power for aircraft lateral control and turning maneuvers dates back to the Wright Brothers and their wing warping concept for active stabilization of their aircraft. Early researchers in Great Britain, Japan, Germany and the United States explored ways to increase the effectiveness of control aileron to generate a roll moment. The basic problem of aileron effectiveness and the interrelationship between structural distortion and the loads applied by the control surface is illustrated. A rigid wing/aileron surface will develop the capability to generate increased roll rates as airspeed increases. A flexible surface will become less effective as airspeed increases because of the twisting distortion created by the aft-mounted control surface. This tendency is further worsened by bending distortion of an aft swept wing. This study focuses its attention on the ability of a combined effort between structural redesign of a wing and sizing and placement of a control surface to create specified roll performance with a minimum hinge moment. This design optimization problem indicates the advantages of simultaneous consideration of structural design and control design.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Aircraft integrated design and analysis: A classroom experience

AAE 451 is the capstone course required of all senior undergraduates in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. During the past year the first steps of a long evolutionary process were taken to change the content and expectations of this course. These changes are the result of the availability of advanced computational capabilities and sophisticated electronic media availability at Purdue. This presentation will describe both the long range objectives and this year's experience using the High Speed Commercial Transport design, the AIAA Long Duration Aircraft design and RPV design proposal as project objectives. The central goal of these efforts is to provide a user-friendly, computer-software-based environment to supplement traditional design course methodology. The Purdue University Computer Center (PUCC), the Engineering Computer Network (ECN) and stand-alone PC's are being used for this development. This year's accomplishments center primarily on aerodynamics software obtained from NASA/Langley and its integration into the classroom. Word processor capability for oral and written work and computer graphics were also blended into the course. A total of ten HSCT designs were generated, ranging from twin-fuselage aircraft, forward swept wing aircraft to the more traditional delta and double-delta wing aircraft. Four Long Duration Aircraft designs were submitted, together with one RPV design tailored for photographic surveillance.

Weisshaar, Terrence A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Results of a parametric aeroelastic stability analysis of a generic X-wing aircraft

This paper discusses the trend in longitudinal dynamic aeroelastic stability of a generic X-Wing aircraft model with design parameter variations. X-Wing rotor blade sweep angle, ratio of blade mass to total vehicle mass, blade structural stiffness cross-coupling and vehicle center-of-gravity location were parameters considered. The typical instability encountered is body-freedom flutter involving a low frequency interaction of the first elastic mode and the aircraft short period mode. Parametric cases with the lowest static margin consistently demonstrated the highest flutter dynamic pressures. As mass ratio was increased, the flutter boundary decreased. The decrease was emphasized as center-of-gravity location was moved forward. As sweep angle varied, it was observed that the resulting increase in forward-swept blade bending amplitude relative to aft blade bending amplitude in the first elastic mode had a stabilizing effect on the flutter boundary. Finally, small amounts of stiffness cross-coupling in the aft blades increased flutter dynamic pressure.

Woods, Jessica A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Aeroelastic tailoring for oblique wing lateral trim

Composite material aeroelastic tailoring is presently explored as a means for the correction of the roll trim imbalance of oblique-wing aircraft configurations. The concept is demonstrated through the analysis of a realistic oblique wing by a static aeroelastic computational procedure encompassing the full potential transonic aerodynamic code FLO22 and a Ritz structural plate program that models the stiffness due to symmetrical-but-unbalanced composite wing skins. Results indicate that asymetric composite tailoring reduces the aileron deflection needed for roll equilibrium, and reduces control surface hinge moment and drag. Wing skin stresses are, however, very high.

Bohlmann, Jonathan D.↗