Specialists from the Moscow Aviation Institute have developed a software package that allows simultaneous assessment of the strength and dynamic behavior of composite wings. The new technology should help identify dangerous operating modes of the structure even before flight tests begin and reduce the development time of new aircraft.
The development is intended for aeroelasticity analysis – the ability of a structure to change shape and experience vibrations under the influence of air flows and loads. This calculation is especially important for modern aircraft with wings made of composite materials, which are characterized by high strength and low weight, but require more complex modeling compared to metal structures.
As explained by MAI developers, composite materials, including carbon fiber and fiberglass, have different characteristics depending on the direction of fiber lay-up. Because of this, the wing can react differently to loads in different directions, which complicates predicting its behavior in flight.
Previously, engineers usually performed calculations in several stages: first, they checked the static strength of the wing under load, then separately analyzed the dynamic characteristics and the probability of flutter – spontaneous rapidly intensifying vibrations of the structure. If a problem was identified, the project had to be returned for revision.
The new approach combines these checks into a single model. This allows for faster assessment of wing behavior and reduces the number of repeated design cycles.