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At least 775 records · Page 43

Microdynamic modelling of joint-dominated truss-based structures

A methodology for the mathematical modeling of preloaded joint-dominated truss-based space structures applicable in the microdynamic regime is presented. First, various factors which could affect the microdynamic behavior of joint-dominated truss structures are examined. Then, mathematical models for various types of joints involving contact deformations are derived from Hertzian contact theory. Their dynamic behavior is studied analytically and numerically by means of computer simulation. It was found that both synchronous and asynchronous oscillations having the same orders of magnitude are excited by sinusoidal load perturbations in the microdynamic regime. These oscillations persist even in the presence of light linear damping. The integration of the derived joint models with those for the elastic links of preloaded planar truss structures is discussed.

Wang, P. K. C.↗

Optimal airframe synthesis for gust loads

An optimization capability for sizing airframe structures that are subjected to a combination of deterministic and random flight loads was established. The random vibration environment introduces the need for selecting a statistical process that best describes the random loads and permits computation of the dynamic response parameters of interest. Furthermore, it requires a formulation of design constraints that would minimize the conservativeness in the design and retain computational viability. The random loads are treated as a stationary, homogeneous process with a Gaussian probability distribution. The formulation of the analysis problem, the structure of the optimization programming system and a representative numerical example are discussed.

Hajela, P.↗

Identification of structural interface characteristics using component mode synthesis

The inability to adequately model connections has limited the ability to predict overall system dynamic response. Connections between structural components are often mechanically complex and difficult to accurately model analytically. Improved analytical models for connections are needed to improve system dynamic predictions. This study explores combining Component Mode synthesis methods for coupling structural components with Parameter Identification procedures for improving the analytical modeling of the connections. Improvements in the connection properties are computed in terms of physical parameters so the physical characteristics of the connections can be better understood, in addition to providing improved input for the system model. Two sample problems, one utilizing simulated data, the other using experimental data from a rotor dynamic test rig are presented.

Huckelbridge, A. A.↗

Identification of structural interface characteristics using component mode synthesis

The inability to adequately model connections has limited the ability to predict overall system dynamic response. Connections between structural components are often mechanically complex and difficult to accurately model analytically. Improved analytical models for connections are needed to improve system dynamic predictions. This study explores combining Component Mode synthesis methods for coupling structural components with Parameter Identification procedures for improving the analytical modeling of the connections. Improvements in the connection properties are computed in terms of physical parameters so the physical characteristics of the connections can be better understood, in addition to providing improved input for the system model. Two sample problems, one utilizing simulated data, the other using experimental data from a rotor dynamic test rig, are presented.

Huckelbridge, A. A.↗

Identification of structural interface characteristics using component mode synthesis

The inability to adequately model connections has limited the ability to predict overall system dynamic response. Connections between structural components are often mechanically complex and difficult to accurately model analytically. Improved analytical models for connections are needed to improve system dynamic predictions. This study explores combining Component Mode synthesis methods for coupling structural components with Parameter Identification procedures for improving the analytical modeling of the connections. Improvements in the connection properties are computed in terms of physical parameters so the physical characteristics of the connections can be better understood, in addition to providing improved input for the system model. Two sample problems, one utilizing simulated data, the other using experimental data from a rotor dynamic test rig, are presented.

Huckelbridge, A. A.↗

The dynamic response of composite beams to axial impact

Large deformation response of simple composite structural elements to intense dynamic loadings is studied by focusing on the response of beams. Overall goals are to: design a simple test fixture to introduce crash related bending loads in beams; determine any difference between large deformation static and large deformation dynamic response; determine the influence of laminate stacking arrangements on the dynamic response, failure mode, and energy absorbed; and predict the dynamic response. Twelve different laminate orientations were investigated. Modeling of the response was done with an existing finite element program. The program computed nonlinear transient response analysis of a structure objected to a time varying load.

Derian, E. J.↗

Computationally Guided Development of Components for High Energy Density Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

All electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL) for urban air mobility (UAM) concepts face numerous challenging technical barriers before their introduction into the consumer marketplace. The most challenging of these technical barriers to overcome is developing an energy storage system capable of meeting the rigorous aerospace safety and performance criteria1. The performance metrics for eVTOL craft, such as specific energy, specific power, and safety, exceed those of electric automobiles by a factor of two to four. Current state-of-the-art (SOA) lithium-ion batteries are incapable of meeting the key performance criteria of energy and safety for eVTOL. Therefore, next generation advanced chemistries and designs must be developed to meet required performance metrics for electric aviation2. Beyond lithium-ion chemistries, such as lithium-sulfur, show promise in their high energy, while limitations exist in their power and cyclability due to low electrical conductivity and high intermediate solubility in organic liquid electrolytes. Several strategies to overcome the low electrical conductivity involve the use of selenium as a dopant in the active sulfur material, along with the incorporation of 2-dimensional electron-conducting holey-graphene to improve the composite cathodes electronic conductivity. Furthermore, combining this chemistry with a solid-electrolyte avoids the components’ dissolution issues3. However, the development of composite solid-state cathodes is non-trivial as several components must be intimately mixed so that the active component has sufficient access to both electrons and lithium ions to undergo full electrochemical conversion. Mathematical modeling of battery components can assist experimental design through a robust and rigorous combination of computational modeling techniques covering multiple length scales. The objective is to leverage modern computational materials methods combined with battery multiphysics tools to develop radically advanced compatible cathode and electrolyte materials, build and test solid state lithium-sulfur cells and packs. A NASA-based cross-organizational team of high-powered experts combined integrated computational predictive modeling, fundamental chemistry analysis, advanced material science, and battery cell development to tackle this very challenging, multidisciplinary problem. This presentation will show a multiscale computational modeling approach that has produced a novel particle dynamics method called Solid Electrolyte Sphere Approximation Model (SESAM). SESAM modeling targets the 1-10 µm scale structures and provides electromechanical and grain interactions for predictive design guidelines for the manufacturing of solid-state components. Parameters such as particle size and volume fraction of the constituent materials were modeled and experimentally fabricated to optimize electrochemical performance through improved microstructure design. Experimental feedback was provided through ionic and electronic conductivity assessment and structural analysis of developed materials and cell components.

battery↗

Development of an engineering analysis of progressive damage in composites during low velocity impact

A computerized, analytical methodology was developed to study damage accumulation during low velocity lateral impact of layered composite plates. The impact event was modeled as perfectly plastic with complete momentum transfer to the plate structure. A transient dynamic finite element approach was selected to predict the displacement time response of the plate structure. Composite ply and interlaminar stresses were computed at selected time intervals and subsequently evaluated to predict layer and interlaminar damage. The effects of damage on elemental stiffness were then incorporated back into the analysis for subsequent time steps. Damage predicted included fiber failure, matrix ply failure and interlaminar delamination.

Humphreys, E. A.↗

Semi-implicit transient analysis procedures for structural dynamics analysis

A semi-implicit direct time integration procedure is presented which avoids factorization of the implicit difference solution matrix. The procedure, if properly implemented, requires only vectorial calculations and hence needs the same computer core space as explicit integration procedures. Guidelines for splitting the stiffness matrix into upper and lower matrices are established, which among other things are designed to satisfy a correct transmission of rigid-body motions from element (or grid) to its adjacent elements.

Park, K. C.↗

Probabilistic Finite Element: Variational Theory

The goal of this research is to provide techniques which are cost-effective and enable the engineer to evaluate the effect of uncertainties in complex finite element models. Embedding the probabilistic aspects in a variational formulation is a natural approach. In addition, a variational approach to probabilistic finite elements enables it to be incorporated within standard finite element methodologies. Therefore, once the procedures are developed, they can easily be adapted to existing general purpose programs. Furthermore, the variational basis for these methods enables them to be adapted to a wide variety of structural elements and to provide a consistent basis for incorporating probabilistic features in many aspects of the structural problem. Tasks concluded include the theoretical development of probabilistic variational equations for structural dynamics, the development of efficient numerical algorithms for probabilistic sensitivity displacement and stress analysis, and integration of methodologies into a pilot computer code.

Belytschko, T.↗

Computational procedures for evaluating the sensitivity derivatives of vibration frequencies and Eigenmodes of framed structures

Computational procedures are presented for evaluating the sensitivity derivatives of the vibration frequencies and eigenmodes of framed structures. Both a displacement and a mixed formulation are used. The two key elements of the computational procedure are: (a) Use of dynamic reduction techniques to substantially reduce the number of degrees of freedom; and (b) Application of iterative techniques to improve the accuracy of the derivatives of the eigenmodes. The two reduction techniques considered are the static condensation and a generalized dynamic reduction technique. Error norms are introduced to assess the accuracy of the eigenvalue and eigenvector derivatives obtained by the reduction techniques. The effectiveness of the methods presented is demonstrated by three numerical examples.

Fetterman, Timothy L.↗

Investigations of a circulation control airfoil flowfield using an advanced laser velocimeter

The flowfield of a Circulation Control Airfoil was examined in detail through the use of a specially designed wind tunnel model and test program. Surface pressures on the model were obtained and the velocity field was surveyed in the trailing edge region of the model airfoil using the nonintrusive Laser Velocimetry technique. In this region mean flow and turbulence measurements indicate that, while the flowfield is similar to other wall-bounded jet flows, the external freestream plays an important role in the overall mixing and structure of the wall bounded flow. Finally, the turbulence measurements were used to compute eddy viscosities for the purpose of aiding computational fluid dynamics model development.

Novak, Charles J.↗

Active control of buckling of flexible beams

The feasibility of using the rapidly growing technology of the shape memory alloys actuators in actively controlling the buckling of large flexible structures is investigated. The need for such buckling control systems is becoming inevitable as the design trends of large space structures have resulted in the use of structural members that are long, slender, and very flexible. In addition, as these truss members are subjected mainly to longitudinal loading they become susceptible to structural instabilities due to buckling. Proper control of such instabilities is essential to the effective performance of the structures as stable platforms for communication and observation. Mathematical models are presented that simulate the dynamic characteristics of the shape memory actuator, the compressive structural members, and the associated active control system. A closed-loop computer-controlled system is designed, based on the developed mathematical models, and implemented to control the buckling of simple beams. The performance of the computer-controlled system is evaluated experimentally and compared with the theoretical predictions to validate the developed models. The obtained results emphasize the importance of buckling control and suggest the potential of the shape memory actuators as attractive means for controlling structural deformation in a simple and reliable way.

Baz, A.↗

Computational analysis of a stability robustness margin for structured real-parameter perturbations

An efficient computational method is presented for stability robustness analysis with structured real-parameter perturbations. A generic model of a class of uncertain dynamical systems is used as an example. The parameter uncertainty is characterized by a real scalar, epsilon. Multilinearity of the closed-loop characteristic polynomial is exploited to permit application of the mapping theorem to calculate the stability robustness margin. It is found that sensitive geometry of the stability boundary in the epsilon, omega-plane renders problematic the calculation of the minimum epsilon as a function of omega. This difficulty is avoided by calculating the minimum distance to the image of the uncertainty domain over omega as a function of epsilon. It is also shown that a certain class of uncertain dynamical systems has the required multilinearity property and are thus amenable to the proposed technique.

Wedell, Evan↗

Simulation of unsteady rotational flow over propfan configuration

During the past decade, aircraft engine manufacturers and scientists at NASA have worked on extending the high propulsive efficiency of a classical propeller to higher cruise Mach numbers. The resulting configurations use highly swept twisted and very thin blades to delay the drag divergence Mach number. Unfortunately, these blades are also susceptible to aeroelastic instabilities. This was observed for some advanced propeller configurations in wind tunnel tests at NASA Lewis Research Center, where the blades fluttered at cruise speeds. To address this problem and to understand the flow phenomena and the solid fluid interaction involved, a research effort was initiated at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1986, under the support of the Structural Dynamics Branch of the NASA Lewis Research Center. The objectives of this study are: (1) the development of solution procedures and computer codes capable of predicting the aeroelastic characteristics of modern single and counter-rotation propellers; and (2) the use of these solution procedures to understand physical phenomena such as stall flutter, transonic flutter, and divergence.

Srivastava, Rakesh↗

A kinematically driven anisotropic viscoelastic constitutive model applied to tires

Aircraft tires are composite structures manufactured with viscoelastic materials such as carbon black filled rubber and nylon cords. When loaded they experience large deflections and moderately large strains. Detailed structural models of tires require the use of either nonlinear shell or nonlinear three dimensional solid finite elements. Computational predictions of the dynamic response of tires must consider the composite viscoelastic material behavior in a realistic fashion. We describe a modification to a nonlinear anisotropic shell finite element so it can be used to model viscoelastic stresses during general deformations. The model is developed by introducing internal variables of the type used to model elastic strain energy. The internal variables are strains, curvatures, and transverse shear angles which are in a one-to-one correspondence with the generalized coordinates used to model the elastic strain energy for nonlinear response. A difference-relaxation equation is used to relate changes in the observable strain field to changes in the internal strain field. The internal stress state is introduced into the equilibrium equations by converting it to nodal loads associated with the element's displacement degrees of freedom. In this form the tangent matrix in the Newton-Raphson solution algorithm is not modified from its form for the nonlinear statics problem. Only the gradient vector is modified and the modification is not computationally costly. The existing finite element model for the Space Shuttle nose gear tire is used to provide examples of the algorithm. In the first example, the tire's rim is displaced at a constant rate up to a fixed value. In the second example, the tire's rim is enforced to follow a saw tooth load and unload curve to generate hysteresis loops.

Johnson, Arthur R.↗

An Expert Assistant for Computer Aided Parallelization

The prototype implementation of an expert system was developed to assist the user in the computer aided parallelization process. The system interfaces to tools for automatic parallelization and performance analysis. By fusing static program structure information and dynamic performance analysis data the expert system can help the user to filter, correlate, and interpret the data gathered by the existing tools. Sections of the code that show poor performance and require further attention are rapidly identified and suggestions for improvements are presented to the user. In this paper we describe the components of the expert system and discuss its interface to the existing tools. We present a case study to demonstrate the successful use in full scale scientific applications.

Jost, Gabriele↗

Aerocapture Systems Analysis for a Neptune Mission

A Systems Analysis was completed to determine the feasibility, benefit and risk of an aeroshell aerocapture system for Neptune and to identify technology gaps and technology performance goals. The systems analysis includes the following disciplines: science; mission design; aeroshell configuration; interplanetary navigation analyses; atmosphere modeling; computational fluid dynamics for aerodynamic performance and aeroheating environment; stability analyses; guidance development; atmospheric flight simulation; thermal protection system design; mass properties; structures; spacecraft design and packaging; and mass sensitivities. Results show that aerocapture is feasible and performance is adequate for the Neptune mission. Aerocapture can deliver 1.4 times more mass to Neptune orbit than an all-propulsive system for the same launch vehicle and results in a 3-4 year reduction in trip time compared to all-propulsive systems. Enabling technologies for this mission include TPS manufacturing; and aerothermodynamic methods for determining coupled 3-D convection, radiation and ablation aeroheating rates and loads.

Lockwood, Mary Kae↗