Nonlinear AeroServoElastic Reduced Order Model for Active Structural Control

The overall goal of the proposed effort is to develop and demonstrate rigorous model order reduction (MOR) technologies to automatically generate fully coupled, nonlinear, parameterized aeroservoelastic reduced-order models (ROMs) for smart material-based active structural control. The Phase I effort will focus on developing constituent nonlinear ROMs for aerodynamics, structural dynamics, and electromechanics of the smart materials, as well as an integration scheme for coupled aerodynamic, structural, and electromechanical analysis. A modular software framework enabling automated data exchange, ROM generation and computation, as well as verification will also be constructed. The feasibility of the proposed technologies will be demonstrated for several aeroservoelasticity test problems of NASA interest (including NASA's Aerostructures Test Wing.) The Phase II effort will focus on: (1) algorithm improvement in terms of execution efficiency, model parameterization, and automated parameter selection; and (2) software environment enhancement (such as developing a direct interface to NASA-relevant simulation tools, fully automated ROM process including data exchange, ROM generation and computation, and verification) and extensive technology demonstration in complex configurations and temporally varying operations.

The proposed technology will provide a fast and accurate analysis tool for aeroservoelastic simulations of aerospace vehicles and aircrafts. Direct NASA applications of the technology include: (1) rapid and computationally affordable analysis for optimal aerodynamic and structural design of aerospace vehicles; (2) development of advanced, reliable aeroservoelastic control strategies (such as controlled maneuver, and aeroelastic instability control, e.g., buffet, flutter, buzz, and control reversal); and (3) arrangement of test procedures for rational use of instruments and facilities. The success in the proposed research will markedly reduce the development cycles of aerospace vehicles and aircrafts at reduced costs. NASA programs like aerostructures test wing, active aeroelastic wing and active twist rotors will also stand to benefit from the technology.

The non-NASA markets and customers of the proposed software are enormous and include various aerospace, aircraft, and watercraft engineering sectors (involving fluid-structure-control interaction). Potential end-users and customers include US Air Force, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), US Navy, aircraft, and automobile industry, etc. In addition, the proposed technology will also find broad markets in other industries such as combustion, power (propulsion), chemical processing, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). The proposed research would directly contribute to these vital areas by providing a powerful tool to generate fast ROMs, which can be extensively used to (1) analyze the operating processes for fault diagnostics and optimized design (e.g., structure and fatigue analysis, real-time flow control and optimization, hardware-in-loop simulation); and (2) develop advanced strategies for on-line process monitoring and control.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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