A Physics-Based, Reduced-Order Aerodynamics Model for Bluff Bodies in Unsteady, Arbitrary Motion

A novel reduced-order model for the simulation of bluff bodies in unsteady, arbitrary motion has been developed. The model is physics-based, meaning that it is derived from known fundamental aerodynamic phenomena of bluff bodies instead of response fitting of experimental data. This physics-based approach is essential to ensure that the model is applicable to new, untested configurations. We describe the development of a physics-based model, including detailed explanations of the fundamental aerodynamic phenomena and how they are modeled in simulation. The reduced-order model is evaluated by application to rotorcraft-tethered loads and validated against much more expensive high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulations and flight tests. Excellent correlation in the predictions of aerodynamic forces and moments, as well as the dynamic response, is observed, while the computational cost has been reduced by several orders of magnitude relative to high-fidelity computational-fluid-dynamics-based simulations. Additionally, the important role that unsteady aerodynamics play in bluff body dynamics and instability is demonstrated.