Engineering topics

Graves, Sharon S.

Publications and source records attributed to Graves, Sharon S..

7 records

NASA NTRS2010

Verification and Validation for Flight-Critical Systems (VVFCS)

On March 31, 2009 a Request for Information (RFI) was issued by NASA s Aviation Safety Program to gather input on the subject of Verification and Validation (V & V) of Flight-Critical Systems. The responses were provided to NASA on or before April 24, 2009. The RFI asked for comments in three topic areas: Modeling and Validation of New Concepts for Vehicles and Operations; Verification of Complex Integrated and Distributed Systems; and Software Safety Assurance. There were a total of 34 responses to the RFI, representing a cross-section of academic (26%), small & large industry (47%) and government agency (27%).

Graves, Sharon S.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Application of MEMS Microphone Array Technology to Airframe Noise Measurements

Current generation microphone directional array instrumentation is capable of extracting accurate noise source location and directivity data on a variety of aircraft components, resulting in significant gains in test productivity. However, with this gain in productivity has come the desire to install larger and more complex arrays in a variety of ground test facilities, creating new challenges for the designers of array systems. To overcome these challenges, a research study was initiated to identify and develop hardware and fabrication technologies which could be used to construct an array system exhibiting acceptable measurement performance but at much lower cost and with much simpler installation requirements. This paper describes an effort to fabricate a 128-sensor array using commercially available Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) microphones. The MEMS array was used to acquire noise data for an isolated 26%-scale high-fidelity Boeing 777 landing gear in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Stability Tunnel across a range of Mach numbers. The overall performance of the array was excellent, and major noise sources were successfully identified from the measurements.

Humphreys, William M., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Development of an Intelligent Videogrammetric Wind Tunnel Measurement System

A videogrammetric technique developed at NASA Langley Research Center has been used at five NASA facilities at the Langley and Ames Research Centers for deformation measurements on a number of sting mounted and semispan models. These include high-speed research and transport models tested over a wide range of aerodynamic conditions including subsonic, transonic, and supersonic regimes. The technique, based on digital photogrammetry, has been used to measure model attitude, deformation, and sting bending. In addition, the technique has been used to study model injection rate effects and to calibrate and validate methods for predicting static aeroelastic deformations of wind tunnel models. An effort is currently underway to develop an intelligent videogrammetric measurement system that will be both useful and usable in large production wind tunnels while providing accurate data in a robust and timely manner. Designed to encode a higher degree of knowledge through computer vision, the system features advanced pattern recognition techniques to improve automated location and identification of targets placed on the wind tunnel model to be used for aerodynamic measurements such as attitude and deformation. This paper will describe the development and strategy of the new intelligent system that was used in a recent test at a large transonic wind tunnel.

Graves, Sharon S.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Characterization of the Test Section Walls at the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel

The test section walls of the NASA Langley Research Center 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel are known to move under thermal and pressure loads. Videogrammetry was used to measure wall motion during the summer of 2002. In addition, a laser distancemeter was used to measure the relative distance between the test section walls at a single point. Distancemeter and videogrammetry results were consistent. Data were analyzed as a function of temperature and pressure to determine their effects on wall motion. Data were collected between 50 and 100 F, 0 and 0.315 Mach, and dynamic pressures of 0 and 120 psf. The overall motion of each wall was found to be less than 0.25 in. and less than facility personnel anticipated. The results show how motion depends on the temperature and pressure inside the test section as well is the position of the boundary layer vane. The repeatability of the measurements was +/-0.06 in. This report describes the methods used to record the motion of the test section walls and the results of the data analysis. Future facility plans include the development of a suitable wall restraint system and the determination of the effects of the wall motion on tunnel calibration.

Lunsford, Charles B.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Dynamic Deformation Measurements of an Aeroelastic Semispan Model

The techniques used to acquire, reduce, and analyze dynamic deformation measurements of an aeroelastic semispan wind tunnel model are presented. Single-camera, single-view video photogrammetry (also referred to as videogrammetric model deformation, or VMD) was used to determine dynamic aeroelastic deformation of the semispan 'Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation' (MAVRIC) model in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center. Dynamic deformation was determined from optical retroreflective tape targets at five semispan locations located on the wing from the root to the tip. Digitized video images from a charge coupled device (CCD) camera were recorded and processed to automatically determine target image plane locations that were then corrected for sensor, lens, and frame grabber spatial errors. Videogrammetric dynamic data were acquired at a 60-Hz rate for time records of up to 6 seconds during portions of this flutter/Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) test at Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.96. Spectral analysis of the deformation data is used to identify dominant frequencies in the wing motion. The dynamic data will be used to separate aerodynamic and structural effects and to provide time history deflection data for Computational Aeroelasticity code evaluation and validation.

Graves, Sharon S.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Pegasus(Registered trademark) Wing-Glove Experiment to Document Hypersonic Crossflow Transition: Measurement System and Selected Flight Results

In a recent flight experiment to study hypersonic crossflow transition, boundary layer characteristics were documented. A smooth steel glove was mounted on the first stage delta wing of Orbital Sciences Corporation's Pegasus (R) launch vehicle and was flown at speeds of up to Mach 8 and altitudes of up to 250,000 ft. The wing-glove experiment was flown as a secondary payload off the coast of Florida in October 1998. This paper describes the measurement system developed. Samples of the results obtained for different parts of the trajectory are included to show the characteristics and quality of the data. Thermocouples and pressure sensors (including Preston tubes, Stanton tubes, and a "probeless" pressure rake showing boundary layer profiles) measured the time-averaged flow. Surface hot-films and high-frequency pressure transducers measured flow dynamics. Because the vehicle was not recoverable, it was necessary to design a system for real-time onboard processing and transmission. Onboard processing included spectral averaging. The quality and consistency of data obtained was good and met the experiment requirements.

Bertelrud, Arild↗

NASA NTRS1999

Investigation of a Technique for Measuring Dynamic Ground Effect in a Subsonic Wind Tunnel

To better understand the ground effect encountered by slender wing supersonic transport aircraft, a test was conducted at NASA Langley Research Center's 14 x 22 foot Subsonic Wind Tunnel in October, 1997. Emphasis was placed on improving the accuracy of the ground effect data by using a "dynamic" technique in which the model's vertical motion was varied automatically during wind-on testing. This report describes and evaluates different aspects of the dynamic method utilized for obtaining ground effect data in this test. The method for acquiring and processing time data from a dynamic ground effect wind tunnel test is outlined with details of the overall data acquisition system and software used for the data analysis. The removal of inertial loads due to sting motion and the support dynamics in the balance force and moment data measurements of the aerodynamic forces on the model is described. An evaluation of the results identifies problem areas providing recommendations for future experiments. Test results are validated by comparing test data for an elliptical wing planform with an Elliptical wing planform section with a NACA 0012 airfoil to results found in current literature. Major aerodynamic forces acting on the model in terms of lift curves for determining ground effect are presented. Comparisons of flight and wind tunnel data for the TU-144 are presented.

Graves, Sharon S.↗