Aeroservoelastic Characteristics of a Corrugated Morphing Control Surface

Aeroservoelastic characteristics of a morphing control surface with corrugated structures are investigated in this paper. The finite element structural model and the aerodynamic model with an unsteady vortex lattice method are used to analyze the aeroelastic response of a corrugated morphing control surface. The equation of motion for the corrugated morphing control surface is derived in the state-space form, and a classic LQR control technique is integrated to function the morphing structures as control surfaces. Considering the structural and control design parameters, the aeroservoelastic response of corrugated morphing control surfaces under continuous gusts is analyzed. Simulation results demonstrate that the flexible design of corrugations may lead to undesirable vibrations even with actuation control. It is also shown that the structural modes which play important roles in the lift control can change according to the structural design parameters. This work provides important insights into designing a morphing control surface with flexible structures such as corrugated structures.