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At least 181 records · Page 10

Expendable Launch Vehicle Studies

Analytical support studies of expendable launch vehicles concentrates on the stability of the dynamics during launch especially during or near the region of maximum dynamic pressure. The in-plane linearized dynamic equations of a generic launch vehicle with multiple flexible bending and fuel sloshing modes are developed. The design of a robust LQR controller based on the reduced order system is accomplished using the parameter perturbation technique. The ELV modeling and analysis team has spent the past three years working on the theoretical development and application of sensitivity analysis to solve eigenvalue problems associated with structural dynamics. Specific application areas include stochastic vibrations, viscously damped vibrations and nonlinear dynamics. In stochastic linear vibrations, sensitivity analysis methods have been developed which determined the expectation and variance of the response for given probability density functions of various stochastic parameters. Examples worked include beam vibrations with up to six stochastic parameters; and the eigensensitivity results differ little from those obtained, with much effect, from Monte Carlo techniques. For viscously damped vibrations, eigensensitivity analysis has given excellent results for homogeneous beams, modeled by either quadratic or quartic eigenvalue equations. Specific applications include Kevin and Maxwell-type viscoelastic beams.

Bainum, P. M.↗

Reanalysis and design in structural dynamics

A unified efficient formulation for the static and dynamic reanalysis of locally modified structures is presented. The reanalysis problem is to find the structural responses when some of the element properties are adjusted as a result of design modifications or when additional structures are appended to the original system. The reanalysis problem is formulated as a problem of much lower order than the original system. This is achieved by utilizing the linearity property of the structure using the pseudoload concept together with the solution of the original system. The modifications to the structure are treated as displacement-dependent pseudoloads of the system. By expressing the modified system response as linear combinations of the response of the original system and a term depending on the pseudoload, a reduced set of response equations can be obtained. In the static and sinusoidal steady state analysis, this leads to a set of linear algebraic equations. For a free vibration analysis, this results in a reduced eigenvalue problem. Using these reduced equations, a design problem can be solved; that is, the magnitude of a specified local modification for given dynamic response characteristics can be calculated. Several examples are presented to illustrate the general formulations.

Wang, B. P.↗

The Application of a Boundary Integral Equation Method to the Prediction of Ducted Fan Engine Noise

The prediction of ducted fan engine noise using a boundary integral equation method (BIEM) is considered. Governing equations for the BIEM are based on linearized acoustics and describe the scattering of incident sound by a thin, finite-length cylindrical duct in the presence of a uniform axial inflow. A classical boundary value problem (BVP) is derived that includes an axisymmetric, locally reacting liner on the duct interior. Using potential theory, the BVP is recast as a system of hypersingular boundary integral equations with subsidiary conditions. We describe the integral equation derivation and solution procedure in detail. The development of the computationally efficient ducted fan noise prediction program TBIEM3D, which implements the BIEM, and its utility in conducting parametric noise reduction studies are discussed. Unlike prediction methods based on spinning mode eigenfunction expansions, the BIEM does not require the decomposition of the interior acoustic field into its radial and axial components which, for the liner case, avoids the solution of a difficult complex eigenvalue problem. Numerical spectral studies are presented to illustrate the nexus between the eigenfunction expansion representation and BIEM results. We demonstrate BIEM liner capability by examining radiation patterns for several cases of practical interest.

Dunn, M. H.↗

Ordering Unstructured Meshes for Sparse Matrix Computations on Leading Parallel Systems

The ability of computers to solve hitherto intractable problems and simulate complex processes using mathematical models makes them an indispensable part of modern science and engineering. Computer simulations of large-scale realistic applications usually require solving a set of non-linear partial differential equations (PDES) over a finite region. For example, one thrust area in the DOE Grand Challenge projects is to design future accelerators such as the SpaHation Neutron Source (SNS). Our colleagues at SLAC need to model complex RFQ cavities with large aspect ratios. Unstructured grids are currently used to resolve the small features in a large computational domain; dynamic mesh adaptation will be added in the future for additional efficiency. The PDEs for electromagnetics are discretized by the FEM method, which leads to a generalized eigenvalue problem Kx = AMx, where K and M are the stiffness and mass matrices, and are very sparse. In a typical cavity model, the number of degrees of freedom is about one million. For such large eigenproblems, direct solution techniques quickly reach the memory limits. Instead, the most widely-used methods are Krylov subspace methods, such as Lanczos or Jacobi-Davidson. In all the Krylov-based algorithms, sparse matrix-vector multiplication (SPMV) must be performed repeatedly. Therefore, the efficiency of SPMV usually determines the eigensolver speed. SPMV is also one of the most heavily used kernels in large-scale numerical simulations.

Oliker, Leonid↗

Spatially Developing Secondary Instabilities and Attachment Line Instability in Supersonic Boundary Layers

This paper reports on progress towards developing a spatial stability code for compressible shear flows with two inhomogeneous directions, such as crossflow dominated swept-wing boundary layers and attachment line flows. Certain unique aspects of formulating a spatial, two-dimensional eigenvalue problem for the secondary instability of finite amplitude crossflow vortices are discussed. A primary test case used for parameter study corresponds to the low-speed, NLF-0415(b) airfoil configuration as tested in the ASU Unsteady Wind Tunnel, wherein a spanwise periodic array of roughness elements was placed near the leading edge in order to excite stationary crossflow modes with a specified fundamental wavelength. The two classes of flow conditions selected for this analysis include those for which the roughness array spacing corresponds to either the naturally dominant crossflow wavelength, or a subcritical wavelength that serves to reduce the growth of the naturally excited dominant crossflow modes. Numerical predictions are compared with the measured database, both as indirect validation for the spatial instability analysis and to provide a basis for comparison with a higher Reynolds number, supersonic swept-wing configuration. Application of the eigenvalue analysis to the supersonic configuration reveals that a broad spectrum of stationary crossflow modes can sustain sufficiently strong secondary instabilities as to potentially cause transition over this configuration. Implications of this finding for transition control in swept wing boundary layers are examined. Finally, extension of the spatial stability analysis to supersonic attachment line flows is also considered.

Li, Fei↗

Spatially Developing Secondary Instabilities in Compressible Swept Airfoil Boundary Layers

Two-dimensional eigenvalue analysis is used on a massive scale to study spatial instabilities of compressible shear flows with two inhomogeneous directions. The main focus of the study is crossflow dominated swept-wing boundary layers although the methodology can also be applied to study other type of flows, such as the attachment-line flow. Certain unique aspects of formulating a spatial, two-dimensional eigenvalue problem for the secondary instability of finite amplitude crossflow vortices are discussed, namely, fixing the spatial growth direction unambiguously through a non-orthogonal formulation of the linearized disturbance equations. A primary test case used for parameter study corresponds to the low-speed, NLF-0415(b) airfoil configuration as tested in the ASU Unsteady Wind Tunnel, wherein a spanwise periodic array of roughness elements was placed near the leading edge in order to excite stationary crossflow modes with a specified fundamental wavelength. The two classes of flow conditions selected for this analysis include those for which the roughness array spacing corresponds to either the naturally dominant crossflow wavelength, or a subcritical wavelength that serves to reduce the growth of the naturally excited dominant crossflow modes. Numerical predictions are compared with the measured database, both as indirect validation for the spatial instability analysis and to provide a basis for comparison with a higher Reynolds number, supersonic swept-wing configuration. Application of the eigenvalue analysis to the supersonic configuration reveals that a broad spectrum of stationary crossflow modes can sustain sufficiently strong secondary instabilities as to potentially cause transition over this configuration. Implications of this finding for transition control in swept wing boundary layers are examined.

Li, Fei↗

A look-ahead variant of the Lanczos algorithm and its application to the quasi-minimal residual method for non-Hermitian linear systems

The Lanczos algorithm can be used both for eigenvalue problems and to solve linear systems. However, when applied to non-Hermitian matrices, the classical Lanczos algorithm is susceptible to breakdowns and potential instabilities. In addition, the biconjugate gradient (BCG) algorithm, which is the natural generalization of the conjugate gradient algorithm to non-Hermitian linear systems, has a second source of breakdowns, independent of the Lanczos breakdowns. Here, we present two new results. We propose an implementation of a look-ahead variant of the Lanczos algorithm which overcomes the breakdowns by skipping over those steps where a breakdown or a near-breakdown would occur. The new algorithm can handle look-ahead steps of any length and requires the same number of matrix-vector products and inner products per step as the classical Lanczos algorithm without look-ahead. Based on the proposed look-ahead Lanczos algorithm, we then present a novel BCG-like approach, the quasi-minimal residual (QMR) method, which avoids the second source of breakdowns in the BCG algorithm. We present details of the new method and discuss some of its properties. In particular, we discuss the relationship between QMR and BCG, showing how one can recover the BCG iterates, when they exist, from the QMR iterates. We also present convergence results for QMR, showing the connection between QMR and the generalized minimal residual (GMRES) algorithm, the optimal method in this class of methods. Finally, we give some numerical examples, both for eigenvalue computations and for non-Hermitian linear systems.

Nachtigal, Noel M.↗

The equilibrium and stability of the gaseous component of the galaxy, 3

The stability of a self-gravitating, nonrotating, isothermal gas layer threaded by a one-dimensional equipartition magnetic field, immersed in a rigid isothermal layer of stars, is considered with respect to waves with motions in and perpendicular to the X plane, where X is the equilibrium magnetic and gravitational field vectors. When motions are perpendicular to the X plane, the magnetic field hinders gravitational instability, increasing the minimum length necessary to produce instability by the factor (1 + alpha) to the 1/2 power, where alpha is the ratio of magnetic pressure to gas pressure. When motions are in the plane, no such simple analytical solution is found. However, the resulting system of equations reduces to a single fourth order differential equation in the perturbed gas potential that defines an eigenvalue problem for the marginally unstable state when the four appropriate boundary conditions are considered.

Kellman, S. A.↗

Dynamic response of nonuniform structures to classes of pressure fields

A semi-analytical method is developed for the calculation of the response of nonuniform structures to deterministic and random excitation. The method is based on parametric representations of the impulse response and input functions. With these representations, a class of structures of specified geometry and a class of pressure fields of practical concern can be considered simultaneously in a single analytical calculation of structural response. In engineering applications, the parameters in the impulse response function can be fixed once the numerical solution of the associated eigenvalue problem is available; the input function parameters can be specified given a particular input function or pressure field data. This methodology is applied to nonuniform beams and circular cylindrical shells for which parametric response solutions are derived. The computerized version of these solutions is also presented.

Cottis, M. G.↗

A NASTRAN correlation study for vibrations of a cross-stiffened ship's deck

To evaluate the effectiveness of NASTRAN for predicting the vibration modes of panels with bending-membrane coupling, a cross-stiffened ship deck was analyzed. In correlation with experimental data, one NASTRAN finite element representation gave results slightly more accurate than a previous analytical solution. Computational time was excessively long, due to the Guyan method of reducing the eigenvalue problem. It is recommended that a more efficient method of matrix reduction be implemented for the lumped mass formulation.

Thornton, E. A.↗

Sound propagation in duct shear layers.

Consideration of the propagation of sound in a two-dimensional inviscid shear layer for given initial sound pressure profiles. The eigenvalue problem resulting from an assumption of separable solutions in a form first obtained by Pridmore-Brown (1958) is solved numerically. It is shown that although the resulting eigenfunctions cannot be proven to be orthogonal or complete, they can be combined by a least total error squared method to give a good representation of the initial pressure profile. The acoustic pressure in the duct is then easily calculated. The results verify all the predictions made in an earlier perturbation calculation. Moreover, they show that the refraction effect gets saturated at high subsonic Mach numbers and at high frequencies. The proposed technique may be used, if necessary, with impedance boundary conditions at the duct walls.

Shankar, P. N.↗

Studies in tilt rotor VTOL aircraft aeroelasticity, volume 2

Two methods for natural mode vibration analysis are discussed. The first consists of a direct approach based on a finite element representation of the complete structure as an entity. The mass and stiffness matrices for the complete structure are assembled by properly combining the mass and stiffness matrices of the individual elements into which the structure has been divided. The second approach is that of component mode synthesis. This method is based on the concept of synthesizing the natural modes of the complete structure from modes of conveniently difined substructures, or components, into which the structure has been partitioned. In this way the expedient of reducing the system degrees of freedom, and thus the size of the eigenvalue problem, can be introduced by partial modal synthesis.

Kvaternik, R. G.↗

Free vibration analysis of spinning structural systems.

This article presents an efficient digital computer procedure, along with the complete listing of the associated computer program, which may be conveniently utilized for the accurate solution of a wide range of practical eigenvalue problems. Important applications of the present work are envisaged in the natural frequency analysis of spinning structures discretized by the finite element technique, and in the determination of transfer functions associated with the dynamic blocks of control systems of spacecraft utilizing gas jets or reaction wheels for attitude control, as well as of spin-stabilized and dual-spin-stabilized satellites. The validity of the Sturm sequence property is first established for the related matrix formulation involving Hermitian and real symmetric, positive-definite matrices, both being usually of highly banded configuration. A numerically stable algorithm based on the Sturm sequence method is then developed which fully exploits the banded form of the associated matrices.

Gupta, K. K.↗

Eigenvalue uncertainty in stressed structures.

A method is presented for calculating the statistics of the natural frequencies and mode shapes of vibration for a structure acted upon by an external static loading which results in the structure being stressed for eigenvalue analysis. The analytical tools presented apply to the probabilistic eigenvalue problem, and it is apparent that structural parameter uncertainty will significantly influence all aspects of the structure's response. The treatment of a sample problem serves the purpose of furthering understanding for the importance of considering structural parameters as random variables.

Hart, G. C.↗