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At least 1,153 records · Page 64

Reduced-order Modeling for Spacecraft Thermal-structural Applications

Leveraging the speed of reduced-order models (ROMs), thermal analysis teams have previously had access to rapid optimization, sensitivity studies, rapid model correlation, and uncertainty quantification, to name a few. An advantage of the developed approach is its relative robustness, which enabled expansion to include structural models in addition to thermal models leading to both rapid thermal-structural and rapid structural-only analyses. This method was tested for a sample thermal-structural application and showed good performance. It was then applied to a complex NASA mission and showed how ROMs could be used to quickly evaluate system uncertainties. Finally, these methods were applied to a structural-only application and used to better optimize and understand the structural design.

Derek Hengeveld↗

Closed coronal structures. V - Gasdynamic models of flaring loops and comparison with SMM observations

A time-dependent one-dimensional code incorporating energy, momentum and mass conservation equations, and taking the entire solar atmospheric structure into account, is used to investigate the hydrodynamic response of confined magnetic structures to strong heating perturbations. Model calculation results are compared with flare observations which include the light curves of spectral lines formed over a wide range of coronal flare temperatures, as well as determinations of Doppler shifts for the high temperature plasma. It is shown that the numerical simulation predictions are in good overall agreement with the observed flare coronal plasma evolution, correctly reproducing the temporal profile of X-ray spectral lines and their relative intensities. The predicted upflow velocities support the interpretation of the blueshifts as due to evaporation of chromospheric material.

Peres, G.↗

Modelling ionospheric density structures

Large-scale density structures are a common feature in the high-latitude ionsphere. The structures were observed in the dayside cusp, polar cap, and nocturnal auroral region over a range of altitudes, including the E-region, F-region and topside ionosphere. The origins, lifetimes and transport characteristics of large-scale density structures were studied with the aid of a three-dimensional, time-dependent ionospheric model. Blob creation due to particle precipitation, the effect that structured electric fields have on the ionosphere, and the lifetimes and transport characteristics of density structures for different seasonal, solar cycle, and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions were studied. The main conclusions drawn are: (1) the observed precipitation energy fluxes are sufficient for blob creation if the plasma is exposed to the precipitation for 5 to 10 minutes; (2) structured electric fields produce structured electron densities, ion temperatures, and ion composition; (3) the lifetime of an F-region density structure depends on several factors, including the initial location where it was formed, the magnitude of the perturbation, season, solar cycle and IMF; and (4) depending on the IMF, horizontal plasma convection can cause an initial structure to break up into multiple structures of various sizes, remain as a single distorted structure, or become stretched into elongated segments.

Schunk, R. W.↗

Variable-Structure Control of a Model Glider Airplane

A variable-structure control system designed to enable a fuselage-heavy airplane to recover from spin has been demonstrated in a hand-launched, instrumented model glider airplane. Variable-structure control is a high-speed switching feedback control technique that has been developed for control of nonlinear dynamic systems.

Waszak, Martin R.↗

Modeling solar magnetic structures

Some ideas in the theoretical study of force-free magnetic fields and magnetostatic fields, which are relevant to the effort of using magnetograph data as inputs to model the quasi-static, large-scale magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere are discussed. Basic physical principles will be emphasized. An attempt will be made to assess what we may learn, physically, from the models based on these ideas. There is prospect for learning useful physics and this ought to be an incentive for intensifying the efforts to improve vector magnetograph technology and to solve the basic radiative-transfer problems encountered in the interpretation of magnetograph raw data.

Low, B. C.↗

VARTM Process Modeling of Aerospace Composite Structures

A three-dimensional model was developed to simulate the VARTM composite manufacturing process. The model considers the two important mechanisms that occur during the process: resin flow, and compaction and relaxation of the preform. The model was used to simulate infiltration of a carbon preform with an epoxy resin by the VARTM process. The model predicted flow patterns and preform thickness changes agreed qualitatively with the measured values. However, the predicted total infiltration times were much longer than measured most likely due to the inaccurate preform permeability values used in the simulation.

Song, Xiao-Lan↗

An efficient model for coupling structural vibrations with acoustic radiation

The scattering of an incident wave by a flexible panel is studied. The panel vibration is governed by the nonlinear plate equations while the loading on the panel, which is the pressure difference across the panel, depends on the reflected and transmitted waves. Two models are used to calculate this structural-acoustic interaction problem. One solves the three dimensional nonlinear Euler equations for the flow-field coupled with the plate equations (the fully coupled model). The second uses the linear wave equation for the acoustic field and expresses the load as a double integral involving the panel oscillation (the decoupled model). The panel oscillation governed by a system of integro-differential equations is solved numerically and the acoustic field is then defined by an explicit formula. Numerical results are obtained using the two models for linear and nonlinear panel vibrations. The predictions given by these two models are in good agreement but the computational time needed for the 'fully coupled model' is 60 times longer than that for 'the decoupled model'.

Frendi, Abdelkader↗

Nonlinear damping model for flexible structures

The study of nonlinear damping problem of flexible structures is addressed. Both passive and active damping, both finite dimensional and infinite dimensional models are studied. In the first part, the spectral density and the correlation function of a single DOF nonlinear damping model is investigated. A formula for the spectral density is established with O(Gamma(sub 2)) accuracy based upon Fokker-Planck technique and perturbation. The spectral density depends upon certain first order statistics which could be obtained if the stationary density is known. A method is proposed to find the approximate stationary density explicitly. In the second part, the spectral density of a multi-DOF nonlinear damping model is investigated. In the third part, energy type nonlinear damping model in an infinite dimensional setting is studied.

Zang, Weijian↗

Assessment of Technologies for the Space Shuttle External Tank Thermal Protection System and Recommendations for Technology Improvement: Structural Analysis Technologies and Modeling Practices - Part 2

A technology review and assessment of modeling and analysis efforts underway in support of a safe return to flight of the thermal protection system (TPS) for the Space Shuttle external tank (ET) are summarized. This review and assessment effort focuses on the structural modeling and analysis practices employed for ET TPS foam design and analysis and on identifying analysis capabilities needed in the short-term and long-term. The current understanding of the relationship between complex flight environments and ET TPS foam failure modes are reviewed as they relate to modeling and analysis. A literature review on modeling and analysis of TPS foam material systems is also presented. Finally, a review of modeling and analysis tools employed in the Space Shuttle Program is presented for the ET TPS acreage and close-out foam regions. This review includes existing simplified engineering analysis tools are well as finite element analysis procedures.

Knight, Norman F., Jr.↗

Assessment of Technologies for the Space Shuttle External Tank Thermal Protection System and Recommendations for Technology Improvement: Structural Analysis Technologies and Modeling Practices - Part 2

A technology review and assessment of modeling and analysis efforts underway in support of a safe return to flight of the thermal protection system (TPS) for the Space Shuttle external tank (ET) are summarized. This review and assessment effort focuses on the structural modeling and analysis practices employed for ET TPS foam design and analysis and on identifying analysis capabilities needed in the short-term and long-term. The current understanding of the relationship between complex flight environments and ET TPS foam failure modes are reviewed as they relate to modeling and analysis. A literature review on modeling and analysis of TPS foam material systems is also presented. Finally, a review of modeling and analysis tools employed in the Space Shuttle Program is presented for the ET TPS acreage and close-out foam regions. This review includes existing simplified engineering analysis tools are well as finite element analysis procedures.

Knight, Norman F., Jr.↗

A micromechanics-based progressive failure model for laminated composite structures

A micromechanics-based mechanistic model for progressive failure analysis of laminated composite shell structures is developed. A finite-element program for laminated shell analysis is coupled with a micromechanical elasticity solution for predicting failure and effective composite properties. The laminate model is based on a third-order shell theory which allows for both transverse normal and shearing deformations. Results are presented for the progressive failure of a (0/90(4)s graphite/epoxy laminate under uniaxial tension. The effect of fiber volume fraction in the 90-deg plies on laminate behavior was studied, and it was found that decreasing the fiber-volume fraction in the off-axis plies did not affect the laminate stiffness or the ultimate failure load, but significantly increased the load at which initial failure occurred.

Averill, R. C.↗

Model reduction for flexible structures - Test data approach

A reduced model of a system is obtained by truncating part of its state variables. Hankel singular values and component costs determine which component is deleted or retained in the reduced model. In this paper Hankel singular values and component costs of a flexible structure are obtained from the resonance test data, rather than from the system matrices. Test data, besides system dynamics, include also actuators and sensors dynamics. For this reason, the reduced model obtained from test data can be far from the optimal one. In this paper the reconstruction of the flexible structure indices from the joint actuator-sensor-flexible structure indices is discussed.

Gawronski, Wodek↗

Observations and Modeling of Thermal Structure in the Lower Atmosphere and the Upward Propagation of Tides into the Thermosphere

Thermal tides are the atmospheric response to diurnally varying thermal forcing resulting from radiative and convective heat transfer from the surface and from aerosol and gaseous heating within the atmosphere. Tides include sun-synchronous (migrating) waves driven in response to solar heating and additional non-migrating waves resulting from longitudinal variations in the distributions of topography, dust aerosol and water ice clouds. The systematic spatial mapping of temperature over 5 Mars years by the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) has yielded a well-defined climatology of seasonally-varying temperature structures in the lower atmosphere, from 5 to ~80 km. Tide theory and Mars global circulation model (MGCM) simulations are a fruitful framework for relating temperature observations to thermal forcing by aerosol fields [1]. The analysis of density and temperature fields derived from MAVEN IUVS and NGIMS observations have revealed the presence of predominantly zonal wave 2 and 3 features at altitudes of 100-170 km that are almost certainly non-migrating tides propagating upward from the lower atmosphere [2,3]. In this presentation we will use the MCS climatology and MGCM simulations to relate the density variations seen by MAVEN with the seasonally varying tide activity in the lower atmosphere. Large amplitude perturbations in density are most sensitive to the tide components with the longest vertical wavelengths in temperature, which are well resolved in MCS observations.

Mars Climate Sounder (MCS)↗

Unified constitutive models for high-temperature structural applications

Unified constitutive models are characterized by the use of a single inelastic strain rate term for treating all aspects of inelastic deformation, including plasticity, creep, and stress relaxation under monotonic or cyclic loading. The structure of this class of constitutive theory pertinent for high temperature structural applications is first outlined and discussed. The effectiveness of the unified approach for representing high temperature deformation of Ni-base alloys is then evaluated by extensive comparison of experimental data and predictions of the Bodner-Partom and the Walker models. The use of the unified approach for hot section structural component analyses is demonstrated by applying the Walker model in finite element analyses of a benchmark notch problem and a turbine blade problem.

Lindholm, U. S.↗

Flight Dynamics of Flexible Aircraft with Aeroelastic and Inertial Force Interactions

This paper presents an integrated flight dynamic modeling method for flexible aircraft that captures coupled physics effects due to inertial forces, aeroelasticity, and propulsive forces that are normally present in flight. The present approach formulates the coupled flight dynamics using a structural dynamic modeling method that describes the elasticity of a flexible, twisted, swept wing using an equivalent beam-rod model. The structural dynamic model allows for three types of wing elastic motion: flapwise bending, chordwise bending, and torsion. Inertial force coupling with the wing elasticity is formulated to account for aircraft acceleration. The structural deflections create an effective aeroelastic angle of attack that affects the rigid-body motion of flexible aircraft. The aeroelastic effect contributes to aerodynamic damping forces that can influence aerodynamic stability. For wing-mounted engines, wing flexibility can cause the propulsive forces and moments to couple with the wing elastic motion. The integrated flight dynamics for a flexible aircraft are formulated by including generalized coordinate variables associated with the aeroelastic-propulsive forces and moments in the standard state-space form for six degree-of-freedom flight dynamics. A computational structural model for a generic transport aircraft has been created. The eigenvalue analysis is performed to compute aeroelastic frequencies and aerodynamic damping. The results will be used to construct an integrated flight dynamic model of a flexible generic transport aircraft.

Nguyen, Nhan T.↗

Structure and energetics of standing eddies in the winter Northern Hemisphere simulated by the NCAR Community Climate Model and the GLA Climate Model

The structure and maintenance of standing eddies in the NCAR Community Climate Model and the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres Climate Model are examined. The energy equations and data used in the study, and the differences between the two GCMs are discussed. The three-dimensional structure (height, temperature, and vertical velocity) and potential and kinetic energies and thermal and dynamic interactions of the standing eddies are described.

Lee, Yen-Huei↗

Models of Venus neutral upper atmosphere - Structure and composition

Models of the Venus neutral upper atmosphere, based on both in situ and remote sensing measurements, are provided for the height interval from 100 to 3500 km. The general approach in model formulation was to divide the atmosphere into three regions: 100-150 km, 150-250 km, and 250-3500 km. Boundary conditions at 150 km are consistent with both drag and mass spectrometer measurements. A paramount consideration was to keep the models simple enough to be used conveniently. Available observations are reviewed.

Keating, G. M.↗