Multirotor Whirl Flutter: A semi-analytical approach

In the last few years, a new aircraft configuration has been developed: the electric Vertical Take-off/Landing aircraft (eVTOL). To improve aircraft efficiency, structures are lighter and more flexible. Due to the structure's flexible nature and the use of propellers for propulsion, eVTOL are prone to whirl flutter, which consists of a dynamic...

An Experimental Study on Supersonic Panel Flutter Using Simultaneous Digital Image Correlation and Schlieren

Supersonic panel flutter is a self-excited vibration, where energy is transferred into thin flexible panels, such as skin panels in supersonic vehicles, from the (supersonic) flow around them, which can lead to their rapid fatigue failure. Relevant examples of this include the failure of skin panels in the X-15 vehicle, or violent oscillations...

Development of an Aeroservoelastic Platform: From Concept to Final Product

With the increased focus on sustainability, aircraft are designed to reduce their emissions. One way to accomplish this is by increasing the wing aspect ratio, thereby increasing the aerodynamic efficiency, however this is not without consequences. Increased aspect ratio wings have a higher structural mass, are more susceptible to gust and...

Quantum Computing for Structural Optimization

Quantum computing is a new form of computational technology, which can potentially be used to solve certain problems faster than is possible using classical computers. For this reason, there is an industry drive to develop early quantum computing applications. In this thesis, an overview of quantum computing technologies is provided, along with...

Geometrically Nonlinear High Fidelity Aerostructural Optimisation for Highly Flexible Wings

In the past decade, MDO researchers have developed capabilities to simultaneously optimise the shape and internal structure of aircraft based on coupled high fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics and Finite Element Analysis. However, to date the finite element methods used for the structural analysis are typically linear and are known to be...

Wing deformation measurements of the DelFly II in different flight conditions

This study investigates the wing deformation of the flapping-wing micro air vehicle (MAV) DelFly II in various flight configurations. Experiments were carried out with the MAV tethered in a windtunnel test section. To determine the best suited measurement approach, a trade-off study was carried out which showed that a point tracking approach...

Comparison of the Buckling Performance of Grid Stiffened and Sandwich Structures designed for Wind Turbine Blade Trailing Panels

Future wind turbines require larger rotor blade radius, leading to an increase of rotor swept area. The larger rotor swept area results in more energy production of the wind turbine. Further increase is however limited as a result of the structural weight, which induces a large bending moment and could result in buckling of the rotor blade. An...

Acoustic Emission Monitoring: of Offshore Wind Turbine Support Structures for Detection and Localization of Fatigue Crack Growth

Offshore wind turbines are used more and more for the production of our electricity. The wind turbines are located in a remote and harsh environment, and are subject to heavy cyclic loading, which may cause fatigue in the support structures. Periodic inspections are required to assess the structural health of the wind turbines. Acoustic Emission...