Aerodynamics

Sheet 1

Aerodynamic Forces and Moments

1. An infinitely thin flat plate of chord c is flying at hypersonic velocities at an angle of attack . The
pressure in the upper surface is constant and equal to pu , and the pressure in the lower surface is constant
and equal to pl , with pl > pu . Assuming that the friction forces are negligible, compute the position of
the center of pressure.
2. An infinitely thin flat plate of chord c = 1m is flying at supersonic velocities at an angle of attack = 10o .
The pressure and shear stress distributions in the upper and lower surfaces are:
u = 288x0.2 Pa,

pu = 4 104 (x 1)2 + 5.4 104 Pa,

4

pl = 2 10 (x 1) + 1.73 10

l = 731 x0.2 Pa,

Pa,

where x is the distance to the leading edge. Calculate the normal and axial forces per unit span, lift and
drag, moments about the leading edge and the location of the center of pressure. Also, if cl = 1 and
= 1.2 Kg/m3 , calculate the wind velocity.
3. Consider an airfoil flying at = 12o . The normal and axial force coefficients are 1.2 and 0.03, respectively.
Calculate the lift and drag coefficients.
4. The lift, drag and moment coefficients of a NACA 2412 are approximately equal to:
cl = 1294 + 203 + 42 + 5 + 0.25,
cd = 0.22 + 0.006,
cm,c/4 = 3.253 2 + 0.1 0.04,
where the angle is in radians. Compute the location of the center of pressure as a function of the angle
of attack.
5. The following figures show the shape and the cp distribution on a supercritical airfoil at subsonic flight.
Assuming that the airfoil is infinitely thin (zu = zl = 0) and that the viscous forces are negligible, compute
the cn , ca and cm,c/4 . Compute also the position of the center of pressure.

0.4

0.3

0.8
0.6

0.2

0.4
0.2
cp

z/c

0.1
0

0
0.2

0.1

0.4

0.2

0.6
0.3
0.4
0

0.8
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
x/c

1
0

Dept. of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5
x/c

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

2014/15

Aerodynamics

Sheet 1

6. The cp distribution on a cylinder flying in hypersonic flow is:

cp = 2 cos2
cp = 0

/2 < < /2
elsewhere

where is the angle measured from the leading edge, positive clockwise. Compute cd and cl .
7. Consider the delta wing sketched in the figure, with
L = 5m, flying at an angle of attack of 3o and a
2
dynamic pressure 1/2 U
= 9000 Pa. The pressure
and shear stress distributions over the wing are given by:

y
x

pu p = 0.5 3.5

4y 4
x

4y 4

pl p = 0.5 + 0.5 x


u = l = 150 1 + e4x/L

kPa,

L
kPa,
Pa.

Compute the normal and axial forces, moments about

the leading edge and point of application of the lift and
drag. Compute also the lift and drag coefficients.

= 3o

z
x

8. Consider the two dimensional half-cylinder shown in the figure with radius R. The cylinder is hollow,
and it is attached to a flat wall at points A and B. The pressure inside the cylinder is p = p , equal to
the pressure far away from the cylinder. When the cylinder is exposed to a free stream with a dynamic
pressure q , the pressure distribution over the cylinder is cp = 1 4 sin2 . Compute the forces at the
attachment points A and B. Neglect the friction on the cylinder surface.

9. Consider the same two dimensional half-cylinder of the previous exercise. Now the cylinder has a slot at
a position 0 that communicates the outside and the inside, so that the pressure inside the cylinder is
equal to the pressure outside at = 0 . The pressure distribution outside of the cylinder is still given
by cp = 1 4 sin2 . Compute the forces at the attachment points A and B. Neglect the friction on the
cylinder surface.

U
0
A

Dept. of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering

2014/15

Aerodynamics

Solutions

Sheet 1

1. xcp = c/2
0
2. N 0 = 11.23104 N/m; A0 = 1.28103 N/m; MLE
= 5.78104 Nm/m; xcp = 0.51m; L0 = 1.104105 N/m;
0
4
D = 2.076 10 N/m; U = 429m/s.

3. cl = 1.17; cd = 0.28.
4. xcp = 1/4

3.25 3 2 +0.1 0.04

(129 4 +20 3 +4 2 +5 +0.25) cos()+(0.2 2 +0.006) sin()

5. ca = 0; cn = 0.47; cm,c/4 = 0.0845; xcp /c = 0.43.

6. cl = 0; cd = 8/3.
7. N = 172.5kN; A = 4.176kN; My,LE = 575kNm; xcp = 3.33m; CL = 1.53; CD = 0.1173.
8. Fz,A = Fz,B = 10
6 q R.
9. Fz,A = Fz,B =

1 Contact

q R
2
3 (12 sin (0 )

8).

oflores@ing.uc3m.es if you detect any error in the solutions.

Dept. of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering

2014/15