Fluid-structure interaction: Applications in nonlinear aeroelasticity

Nonlinear aeroelasticity is discussed firstly from the signal processing point of view. The method of phase-space reconstruction is described and an example using wind tunnel data of an unmanned flight vehicle is presented to demonstrate the occurrence of limit-cycle oscillations. Two-dimensional numerical simulation of an airfoil containing a freeplay structural nonlinearity is carried out to show the bifurcation process that eventually leads to chaotic motion.