Gust response predictions of a very flexible wing model
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Düssler, Stefanie
Cristoph, Mertens
Palacios, Rafael
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Nonlinear aeroelastic simulations are benchmarked against wind tunnel experiments of a very flexible wing. In the simulations, sectional force corrections are employed to capture low-Reynolds-number effects and the static lift deficiency due to the onset of flow separation. With these corrections, both the static and dynamic wing deformation predictions match the experiments well (2% and 6% error, respectively). Furthermore, a simulation of the unsteady inflow to the Delft-Pazy wing that is produced by the gust vanes in the wind tunnel is explored as an alternative to a frozen gust model. Results indicate a considerable influence of the wing’s presence on the gust velocity that was measured upstream of the wing in the wind tunnel experiment. The structural response, however, differs only slightly when using the two different gust models. This confirms that the uniform gust is still a valid assumption for moderately large
deflections (up to 24% of the wingspan in this work). Finally, geometrically nonlinear effects are assessed and found to be relevant in the simulations because of the nonlinear aeroelastic equilibrium, but not because of the gust excitation.
deflections (up to 24% of the wingspan in this work). Finally, geometrically nonlinear effects are assessed and found to be relevant in the simulations because of the nonlinear aeroelastic equilibrium, but not because of the gust excitation.
Date Issued
2026-01-01
Date Acceptance
2025-05-21
Citation
Journal of Aircraft: devoted to aeronautical science and technology, 2026, 63 (1), pp.303-314
ISSN
0021-8669
Publisher
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Start Page
303
End Page
314
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Aircraft: devoted to aeronautical science and technology
Volume
63
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2025 by Stefanie Düssler, Cristoph Mertens and Rafael Palacios. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-07-31