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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

X-57 Wing Structural Load Testing

The X-57 flight project will provide an opportunity to assess the benefits of distributed electric propulsion. The plan is to use a TECNAM P2006T twin-engine light aircraft (Aeronautiche TECNAM S.p.A., Capua, Italy) as the baseline aircraft, but design and fabricate a new wing to test the technology. The wing when fully integrated onto the X-57 TECNAM P2006T fuselage will incorporate two wingtip cruise electric motors and 12 high-lift electric motors along the wing span. The testing described in this paper confirmed the strength of the X-57 wing for flight and provided an opportunity to calibrate the wing flight strain gages for monitoring loads in flight. The X-57 wing was qualification tested in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Armstrong Flight Research Center Flight Loads Laboratory. This paper documents the airworthiness approach, test setup, instrumentation, and preliminary results. The X-57 ground load testing lessons learned are also discussed.

Wing loading↗
NASA NTRS1949

Investigation at low speeds of the effect of aspect ratio and sweep on rolling stability derivatives of untapered wings

A low scale wind tunnel investigation was conducted in rolling flow to determine the effects of aspect ratio and sweep (when varied independently) on the rolling stability derivatives for a series of untapered wings. Test results indicate that when the aspect ratio was held constant, an increase in the sweepback angle caused a significant reduction in the damping in roll at low lift coefficients for only the higher aspect ratios that were tested. This result was in agreement with available swept wing theory which indicated no effect of sweep for aspect ratios near zero. The result of the linear theory that the damping in roll is independent of lift coefficient and that the yawing moment and lateral force due to rolling are directly proportional to the lift coefficient was found to be valid for only a very limited lift coefficient range when the wings were highly swept. For such wings, the damping was found to increase in magnitude and the yawing moment due to rolling, to change from negative to positive at moderate lift coefficients. The effect of wing tip suction, not acounted for by present theory, was found to be very important with regard to the yawing moment due to rolling, particularly for low aspect ratio swept wings. An empirical means of correcting present theory for the effect of tip suction is suggested.

Goodman, Alex↗
NASA NTRS1973

Design integration and noise studies for jet STOL aircraft. Task 7C: Augmentor wing cruise blowing valveless system. Volume 2: Small-scale development testing of augmentor wing critical ducting components

Augmentor wing ducting system studies conducted on a valveless system configuration that provides cruise thrust from the augmentor nozzles have shown that most of the duct system pressure loss would occur in the strut-wing duct y-junction and the wing duct-augmentor lobe nozzles. These components were selected for development testing over a range of duct Mach numbers and pressure ratios to provide a technical basis for predicting installed wing thrust loading and for evaluating design wing loading of a particular wing aspect ratios. The flow characteristics of ducting components with relatively high pressure loss coefficients were investigated. The turbulent pressure fluctuations associated with flows at high Mach numbers were analyzed to evaluate potential duct fatigue problems.

Runnels, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Turbine Powered Simulator Calibration and Testing for Hybrid Wing Body Powered Airframe Integration

Propulsion airframe integration testing on a 5.75% scale hybrid wing body model us- ing turbine powered simulators was completed at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex 40- by 80-foot test section. Four rear control surface con gurations including a no control surface de ection con guration were tested with the turbine powered simulator units to investigate how the jet exhaust in uenced the control surface performance as re- lated to the resultant forces and moments on the model. Compared to ow-through nacelle testing on the same hybrid wing body model, the control surface e ectiveness was found to increase with the turbine powered simulator units operating. This was true for pitching moment, lift, and drag although pitching moment was the parameter of greatest interest for this project. With the turbine powered simulator units operating, the model pitching moment was seen to increase when compared to the ow-through nacelle con guration indicating that the center elevon and vertical tail control authority increased with the jet exhaust from the turbine powered simulator units.

Shea, Patrick R.↗
NASA NTRS1961

An Investigation of Wing and Aileron Loads Due to Deflected Inboard and Outboard Ailerons on a 4-Percent-Thick 30 deg Sweptback Wing at Transonic Speeds

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel to determine the changes in wing loading characteristics due to deflections of a plain faired flap-type inboard aileron, a plain faired flap-type outboard aileron, and a slab-sided thickened trailing edge outboard aileron. The test wing was 4 percent thick and had 30 sweep of the quarter chord, an aspect ratio of 3.0, a taper ratio of 0.2, and NACA 65A004 airfoil sections. The loading characteristics of the deflected ailerons were also investigated. The model was a sting-mounted wing-body combination, and pressure measurements over one wing panel (exposed area) and the ailerons were obtained for angles of attack from 0 to 20 at deflections up to +/- 15 deg for Mach numbers between 0.80 and 1.03. The test Reynolds number based on the wing mean aerodynamic chord was about 7.4 x 10(exp 6). The results of the investigation indicated that positive deflection of the plain faired flap-type inboard aileron caused significant added loading over the wing sections outboard of the aileron at all Mach numbers for model angles of attack from 0 deg or 4 deg up to 12 deg. Positive deflection of the two outboard ailerons (plain faired and slab sided with thickened trailing edge) caused significant added loading over the wing sections inboard of the ailerons for different model angle-of-attack ranges at the several test Mach numbers. The loading shapes over the ailerons were irregular and would be difficult to predict from theoretical considerations in the transonic speed range. The longitudinal and lateral center-of-pressure locations for the ailerons varied only slightly with increasing angle of attack and/or Mach number. Generally, the negative slopes of the variations of aileron hinge-moment coefficient with aileron deflection for all three ailerons varied similarly with Mach number at the test angles of attack.

Whitcomb, Charles F.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Transonic wing design using potential-flow codes - Successes and failures

The state-of-the-art of transonic wing design by use of computer codes based on the potential flow-theory is presented. The capabilities and limitations of these codes are exemplified by several experiment-theory correlations, including an assessment of pressure distribution from isolated wing and wing-body codes. Computer codes using both conservative and nonconservative differencing schemes were used, and the effects of boundary-layer corrections were considered. Results showed that calculations from a full potential, isolated code correlate well with data from an isolated wing test, but may give poor predictions of the aerodynamic characteristics of some wing-body configurations. Boundary-layer correlations were found to have only moderate effects on experiment-theory correlation. Aeroelastic effects were considered important for high aspect ratio wings of low to moderate thickness, and viscous effects were minimal for typical cruise conditions, even for Reynold's numbers as low as two million. The effect of wind-tunnel walls on experiment-theory correlations remained inconclusive. A wing-body code was used to calculate the flow field about a wing-body configuration with body-mounted engines, typical of the transonic Biz-Jet aircraft.

Hicks, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Distributed Aerodynamic Sensing and Processing Toolbox

A Distributed Aerodynamic Sensing and Processing (DASP) toolbox was designed and fabricated for flight test applications with an Aerostructures Test Wing (ATW) mounted under the fuselage of an F-15B on the Flight Test Fixture (FTF). DASP monitors and processes the aerodynamics with the structural dynamics using nonintrusive, surface-mounted, hot-film sensing. This aerodynamic measurement tool benefits programs devoted to static/dynamic load alleviation, body freedom flutter suppression, buffet control, improvement of aerodynamic efficiency through cruise control, supersonic wave drag reduction through shock control, etc. This DASP toolbox measures local and global unsteady aerodynamic load distribution with distributed sensing. It determines correlation between aerodynamic observables (aero forces) and structural dynamics, and allows control authority increase through aeroelastic shaping and active flow control. It offers improvements in flutter suppression and, in particular, body freedom flutter suppression, as well as aerodynamic performance of wings for increased range/endurance of manned/ unmanned flight vehicles. Other improvements include inlet performance with closed-loop active flow control, and development and validation of advanced analytical and computational tools for unsteady aerodynamics.

Brenner, Martin↗
NASA NTRS2013

Analysis of a Hybrid Wing Body Center Section Test Article

The hybrid wing body center section test article is an all-composite structure made of crown, floor, keel, bulkhead, and rib panels utilizing the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) design concept. The primary goal of this test article is to prove that PRSEUS components are capable of carrying combined loads that are representative of a hybrid wing body pressure cabin design regime. This paper summarizes the analytical approach, analysis results, and failure predictions of the test article. A global finite element model of composite panels, metallic fittings, mechanical fasteners, and the Combined Loads Test System (COLTS) test fixture was used to conduct linear structural strength and stability analyses to validate the specimen under the most critical combination of bending and pressure loading conditions found in the hybrid wing body pressure cabin. Local detail analyses were also performed at locations with high stress concentrations, at Tee-cap noodle interfaces with surrounding laminates, and at fastener locations with high bearing/bypass loads. Failure predictions for different composite and metallic failure modes were made, and nonlinear analyses were also performed to study the structural response of the test article under combined bending and pressure loading. This large-scale specimen test will be conducted at the COLTS facility at the NASA Langley Research Center.

Wu, Hsi-Yung T.↗
NASA NTRS1935

Large-Scale Boundary-Layer Control Tests on Two Wings in the NACA 20-Foot Wind Tunnel, Special Report

Tests were made in the N.A.C.A. 20-foot wind tunnel on: (1) a wing, of 6.5-foot span, 5.5-foot chord, and 30 percent maximum thickness, fitted with large end plates and (2) a 16-foot span 2.67-foot chord wing of 15 percent maximum thickness to determine the increase in lift obtainable by removing the boundary layer and the power required for the blower. The results of the tests on the stub wing appeared more favorable than previous small-scale tests and indicated that: (1) the suction method was considerably superior to the pressure method, (2) single slots were more effective than multiple slots (where the same pressure was applied to all slots), the slot efficiency increased rapidly for increasing slot widths up to 2 percent of the wing chord and remained practically constant for all larger widths tested, (3) suction pressure and power requirements were quite low (a computation for a light airplane showed that a lift coefficient of 3.0 could be obtained with a suction as low as 2.3 times the dynamic pressure and a power expenditure less than 3 percent of the rated engine power), and (4) the volume of air required to be drawn off was quite high (approximately 0.5 cubic feet per second per unit wing area for an airplane landing at 40 miles per hour with a lift coefficient of 3,0), indicating that considerable duct area must be provided in order to prevent flow losses inside the wing and insure uniform distribution of suction along the span. The results from the tests of the large-span wing were less favorable than those on the stub wing. The reasons for this were, probably: (1) the uneven distribution of suction along the span, (2) the flow losses inside the wing, (3) the small radius of curvature of the leading edge of the wing section, and (4) the low Reynolds Number of these tests, which was about one half that of the stub wing. The results showed a large increase in the maximum lift coefficient with an increase in Reynolds Number in the range of the tests. The results of drag tests showed that the profile drag of the wing was reduced and the L/D ratio was increased throughout the range of lift coefficients corresponding to take-off and climb but that the minimum drag was increased. The slot arrangement that is best for low drag is not the same, however, as that for maximum lift.

Freeman, Hugh B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Aerodynamic and acoustic test of a United Technologies model scale rotor at DNW

The UTC model scale rotors, the DNW wind tunnel, the AFDD rotary wing test stand, the UTRC and AFDD aerodynamic and acoustic data acquisition systems, and the scope of test matrices are discussed and an introduction to the test results is provided. It is pointed out that a comprehensive aero/acoustic database of several configurations of the UTC scaled model rotor has been created. The data is expected to improve understanding of rotor aerodynamics, acoustics, and dynamics, and lead to enhanced analytical methodology and design capabilities for the next generation of rotorcraft.

Yu, Yung H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Wing pressure distributions from subsonic tests of a high-wing transport model

A wind tunnel investigation was conducted on a generic, high-wing transport model in the Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel. This report contains pressure data that document effects of various model configurations and free-stream conditions on wing pressure distributions. The untwisted wing incorporated a full-span, leading-edge Krueger flap and a part-span, double-slotted trailing-edge flap system. The trailing-edge flap was tested at four different deflection angles (20 deg, 30 deg, 40 deg, and 60 deg). Four wing configurations were tested: cruise, flaps only, Krueger flap only, and high lift (Krueger flap and flaps deployed). Tests were conducted at free-stream dynamic pressures of 20 psf to 60 psf with corresponding chord Reynolds numbers of 1.22 x 10(exp 6) to 2.11 x 10(exp 6) and Mach numbers of 0.12 to 0.20. The angles of attack presented range from 0 deg to 20 deg and were determined by wing configuration. The angle of sideslip ranged from minus 20 deg to 20 deg. In general, pressure distributions were relatively insensitive to free-stream speed with exceptions primarily at high angles of attack or high flap deflections. Increasing trailing-edge Krueger flap significantly reduced peak suction pressures and steep gradients on the wing at high angles of attack. Installation of the empennage had no effect on wing pressure distributions. Unpowered engine nacelles reduced suction pressures on the wing and the flaps.

Applin, Zachary T.↗
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 NTRS1987

Vortex-fin interaction on a fighter aircraft

Water tunnel tests have been conducted to study the flow associated with fin buffet for twin-fin fighter aircraft using 1/48th scale F/A-18 models. Flow visualization made use of colored dyes to determine vortex patterns, and surface hot-film anemometry was used to study the turbulent energy and the frequencies present in the flow. Configurations tested include the full aircraft, aircraft without fins, aircraft without leading-edge-extensions, and aircraft without wings. Test Reynolds number ranged from 4300 to 12,800, with corresponding Mach numbers less than 10 to the -6th. The flow studies show that the LEX vortices burst just forward of the fins at about 25-deg angle-of-attack. Hot film anemometer signals show that fin surface turbulence increases with angle of attack, and that dominant frequencies appear in the flow when bursting occurs. The dominant frequencies correspond to a Strouhal number of about 0.7 for all speeds tested, and for all angles of attack for which vortex bursting was present.

Wentz, William H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Periodic Overload and Transport Spectrum Fatigue Crack Growth Tests of Ti62222STA and Al2024T3 Sheet

Variable amplitude loading crack growth tests have been conducted to provide data that can be used to evaluate crack growth prediction codes. Tests with periodic overloads or overloads followed by underloads were conducted on titanium alloy Ti-6Al-2Sn-2Zr-2Mo-2Cr solution treated and aged (Ti62222STA) material at room temperature and at 350 F. Spectrum fatigue crack growth tests were conducted on two materials (Ti62222STA and aluminum alloy 2024-T3) using two transport lower-wing test spectra at two temperatures (room temperature and 350 F (Ti only)). Test lives (growth from an initial crack half-length of 0.15 in. to failure) were recorded in all tests and the crack length against cycles (or flights) data were recorded in many of the tests. The following observations were made regarding the test results: (1) in tests of the Ti62222STA material, the tests at 350 F had longer lives than those at room temperature, (2) in tests to the MiniTwist spectrum, the Al2024T3 material showed much greater crack growth retardations due to the highest stresses in the spectrum than did the Ti62222STA material, and (3) comparisons of material crack growth performances on an "equal weight" basis were spectrum dependent.

Phillips, Edward P.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Ceramics for Molten Materials Containment, Transfer and Handling on the Lunar Surface

As part of a project on Molten Materials Transfer and Handling on the Lunar Surface, molten materials containment samples of various ceramics were tested to determine their performance in contact with a melt of lunar regolith simulant. The test temperature was 1600 C with contact times ranging from 0 to 12 hours. Regolith simulant was pressed into cylinders with the approximate dimensions of 1.25 dia x 1.25cm height and then melted on ceramic substrates. The regolith-ceramic interface was examined after processing to determine the melt/ceramic interaction. It was found that the molten regolith wetted all oxide ceramics tested extremely well which resulted in chemical reaction between the materials in each case. Alumina substrates were identified which withstood contact at the operating temperature of a molten regolith electrolysis cell (1600 C) for eight hours with little interaction or deformation. This represents an improvement over alumina grades currently in use and will provide a lifetime adequate for electrolysis experiments lasting 24 hours or more. Two types of non-oxide ceramics were also tested. It was found that they interacted to a limited degree with the melt resulting in little corrosion. These ceramics, Sic and BN, were not wetted as well as the oxides by the melt, and so remain possible materials for molten regolith handling. Tests wing longer holding periods and larger volumes of regolith are necessary to determine the ultimate performance of the tested ceramics.

Standish, Evan↗
NASA NTRS2016

Full-Field Reconstruction of Structural Deformations and Loads from Measured Strain Data on a Wing Using the Inverse Finite Element Method

A study was undertaken to investigate the measurement of wing deformation and internal loads using measured strain data. Future aerospace vehicle research depends on the ability to accurately measure the deformation and internal loads during ground testing and in flight. The approach uses the inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM). The iFEM is a robust, computationally efficient method that is well suited for real-time measurement of real-time structural deformation and loads. The method has been validated in previous work, but has yet to be applied to a large-scale test article. This work is in preparation for an upcoming loads test of a half-span test wing in the Flight Loads Laboratory at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Armstrong Flight Research Center (Edwards, California). The method has been implemented into an efficient MATLAB® (The MathWorks, Inc., Natick, Massachusetts) code for testing different sensor configurations. This report discusses formulation and implementation along with the preliminary results from a representative aerospace structure. The end goal is to investigate the modeling and sensor placement approach so that the best practices can be applied to future aerospace projects.

Finite element↗
NASA NTRS2013

Aerodynamic Characterization of a Thin, High-Performance Airfoil for Use in Ground Fluids Testing

The FAA has worked with Transport Canada and others to develop allowance times for aircraft operating in ice-pellet precipitation. Wind-tunnel testing has been carried out to better understand the flowoff characteristics and resulting aerodynamic effects of anti-icing fluids contaminated with ice pellets using a thin, high-performance wing section at the National Research Council of Canada Propulsion and Icing Wind Tunnel. The objective of this paper is to characterize the aerodynamic behavior of this wing section in order to better understand the adverse aerodynamic effects of anti-icing fluids and ice-pellet contamination. Aerodynamic performance data, boundary-layer surveys and flow visualization were conducted at a Reynolds number of approximately 6.0×10(exp 6) and a Mach number of 0.12. The clean, baseline model exhibited leading-edge stall characteristics including a leading-edge laminar separation bubble and minimal or no separation on the trailing edge of the main element or flap. These results were consistent with expected 2-D aerodynamics and showed no anomalies that could adversely affect the evaluation of anti-icing fluids and ice-pellet contamination on the wing. Tests conducted with roughness and leading-edge flow disturbances helped to explain the aerodynamic impact of the anti-icing fluids and contamination. The stalling characteristics of the wing section with fluid and contamination appear to be driven at least partially by the effects of a secondary wave of fluid that forms near the leading edge as the wing is rotated in the simulated takeoff profile. These results have provided a much more complete understanding of the adverse aerodynamic effects of anti-icing fluids and ice-pellet contamination on this wing section. This is important since these results are used, in part, to develop the ice-pellet allowance times that are applicable to many different airplanes.

Broeren, Andy P.↗