Aeroelastic System Control by a Multiple Spoiler Actuation and MRAC Scheme

A novel wing configuration to control flutter and post-flutter limit cycle oscillations is proposed. The new wing consists of a multiple spoiler control surface, with a predefined and coordinated actuation strategy.The proposed architecture, optimized through CFD analysis, is fabricated and tested in the wind tunnel to validate the aerodynamic properties of the wing section. The experimentally obtained nonlinear aerodynamic database is implemented in a simulation environment, which is used to investigate the dynamic response of the proposed wing configuration aeroelastic model. The coupled, two degree of freedom, structural model has nonlinear plunging/pitching characteristics, which allow the system to exhibit LCOs above flutter speed. The open and closed loop responses of the system are investigated and compared to a trailing-edge flap solution of the same wing section. The regulation problem is obtained for a normalized MRAC scheme, modified for performance improvement. The same algorithm is applied to both plants and results validate the robustness and the adaptation capabilities of the implemented control scheme. Further sensitivity analyses to external disturbances, which are different gust distributions, demonstrate the efficacy and solidity of the overall configuration investigated