INVESTIGATION OF AIRSHIP AEROELASTICITY USING FLUID- STRUCTURE INTERACTION

Due to the flexibility of the envelope of large stratosphere airships, the aerodynamic solution of such airship is closel related to its shape and the external aerodynamic forces which lead to the structural deformation. It is essentially one of th Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) problems. This article aims at the numerical investigation of nonlinear airship aeroelasticity i consideration of aerodynamics and structure coupling, using an iteration method. The three-dimensional flow around the airship wa numerically studied by means of the SIMPLE method based on the finite volume method. Nonlinear finite element analysis wa employed for geometrically nonlinear deformation of the airship shape. Comparison of aerodynamic parameters and the pressur distribution between rigid and aeroelastic models was conducted when an airship is in a trimmed flight state in specified fligh conditions. The effect of aeroelasticity on the airship aerodynamics was detailed.