AOE 3124 Spring 2001

Aerospace Structures

Aeroelasticity
An Introduction

Page 1 of 6

REFERENCES
Bisplinghoff, Ashley, and Halfman. Aeroelasticity1 , 1983, pp.1-3.

DEFINITIONS
Aeroelasticity :
aeroelastic problems would not exist if airplane structures where perfectly rigid.
many important aeroelastic phenomena involve inertia forces as well as aerodynamic and
elastic forces.

Static Aeroelasticity :
Science which studies the mutual interaction between aerodynamic forces and elastic forces, and
the influence of this interaction on airplane design.

Dynamic Aeroelasticity :
Phenomena involving interactions of inertial, aerodynamic, and elastic forces.

Collar diagram :
Describes the aeroelastic phenomena by means of a triangle of forces

A
L
DS
D
R
F

I
V

A Aeroelastic force
E Elastic force
I Inertial force
1

Almost all definitions and equations presented in this handout are directly taken out of this reference.

AOE 3124 Spring 2001

Aerospace Structures

Aeroelasticity
An Introduction

Page 2 of 6

DYNAMIC AEROELASTICITY - Phenomena involving all three type of forces:

F Flutter: dynamic instability occurring for aircraft in flight at a speed called flutter
speed

B Buffeting: transient vibrations of aircraft structural components due to aerodynamic

impulses produced by wake behind wings, nacelles, fuselage pods, or other components of
the airplane

Z Dynamic response: transient response of aircraft structural components produced

by rapidly applied loads due to gusts, landing, gun reactions, abrupt control motions, and
moving shock waves

STATIC AEROELASTICITY - Phenomena involving only elastic and aerodynamic forces:

L Load distribution: influence of elastic deformations of the structure on the distribution of aerodynamic pressures over the structure

D Divergence: a static instability of a lifting surface of an aircraft in flight, at a speed

called the divergence speed, where elasticity of the lifting surface plays an essential role in
the instability.

R Control system reversal: A condition occurring in flight, at a speed called the

control reversal speed, at which the intended effect of displacing a given component of the
control system are completely nullified by elastic deformations of the structure.

RELATED FIELDS :
V Mechanical vibrations
DS Rigid-body aerodynamic stability

AOE 3124 Spring 2001

Aerospace Structures

Aeroelasticity
Divergence analysis of a rigid wing segment

Page 3 of 6

REFERENCES
Bisplinghoff, Ashley, and Halfman. Aeroelasticity, 1983, pp. 421-424.

TERMINOLOGY
Lets consider a section of the wing:

EA
CG
AC

AC
CG
EA
d
e
c

AC Aerodynamic center
point about which the pitching moment MAC is independent of angle of attack . Usually close
to quarter chord, (0.25 c)

CG Center of Gravity
point of location of the net weight of the body.

EA Elastic axis
located by drawing a spanwise line through the shear centers of the cross sections of the beam

AOE 3124 Spring 2001

Aerospace Structures

Aeroelasticity
Divergence analysis of a rigid wing segment

Page 4 of 6

Mo

Neglect drag :
L
1
D
K Rotational spring stiffness. Represents

GJ
L

of the real elastic wing

angle of attack relative to zero lift angle

Assume small angles

tan

sin

cos 1

= 0 +
0 rigid angle of attack; initial wing incidence; angle if no aero- or gravity loads were present.
angle due to elastic deformation

L Lift force, primarily produced by pressure forces on vehicle surface

L = q S C`
q = 0.5 V 2 : is the dynamic pressure
fluid density
V aircrafts speed
S = c b : is the wing planform area
c chord
b span
C` = a0 : is the dimensionless lift coefficient
C`
is the lift curve slope (assumed constant between stall points)
a0 =

AOE 3124 Spring 2001

Aerospace Structures

Aeroelasticity
Divergence analysis of a rigid wing segment

Page 5 of 6

MAC Wing pitching moment about the aerodynamic center

MAC = q S c CmAC
q = 0.5 V 2 : is the dynamic pressure
S = c b : is the wing planform area
CmAC : is the dimensionless pitching moment coefficient about the AC independent of

EQUILIBRIUM
P
Take 
of moments about EA:
e L cos
| {z} +MAC d W cos
| {z} K = 0
1


eqS

C`


+ q S c CmAC d W K ( 0 ) = 0

Rearranging,





C`
eqS
K = d W q S c CmAC K 0

qS

C`

(1)

e
= 0 d W q S c CmAC

K
K

(2)

DIVERGENCE
Lets define the divergence dynamic pressure

qD =


S

K

C`
e

(3)

AOE 3124 Spring 2001

Aerospace Structures

Aeroelasticity
Divergence analysis of a rigid wing segment

Page 6 of 6

Now eq. (2) can be rewritten as

dW
0
+
K

q
qD



S

=
1
dW
+
0
K

q
qD

=
1

K
S c CmAC

C`
K
e

(4)

q
qD

c CmAC


e C`

(5)

q
qD

q/qD

0 Wd/K

The plot of q/qD versus shows that as q qD for 0 < q < qD .

In reality the wing will stall or twist off due to strength failure.
The divergence speed is calculated from the divergence dynamic pressure:

1
qD = VD2
2

VD =

2 qD

Divergence corresponds to a static instability. At V = VD we get excessive rotation.

(6)