3D Reconstruction and Visualization for Wing

Structure of High-aspect-ratio Aircraft

Zhu Xiaojin, Jin Xiaobin, Ji Lingxiao, Sun Bing
School of Mechatronics Engineering & Automation
Shanghai University
Shanghai 200072, China
mgzhuxj@shu.edu.cn

Abstract—The simulation model referred to the paper is
wing structure based on high-aspect-ratio near-space aircraft, the
multipoint discrete curvature information of wing structure can
be detected based on space-division multiplex technique and
wavelength division multiplex technique of FBG sense network;
In order to apperceive the vibration shape of wing accurately, the
interpolation arithmetic of curvature is analyzed; The space-
curved-face 3D-reconstruction method and algorithm process are
analyzed and researched with the coalesce of moving coordinate
system, curvature vector and osculating plane; Combining
computer’s graphics processing technology to develop simulation
testing environment, 3D-reconstruction and visualization of
vibration shape of simulation wing structure based on high-
aspect-ratio near-space aircraft are realized. Simulation results
show that the adopted 3D-reconstruction method based on
discrete curvature for wing structure and visualization
technology can reflect low modal real-time vibration shape of the
space-curved-face structure of simulation wing more accurately.
Keywords -Wing structure; Curvature vector; Vibration shape
perception;Space-curved-face 3D-reconstruction; Visualization
I. INTRODUCTION
At present, more and more countries begin to pay close
attention to the development and advancement of near-space
aircraft. As one of researched types, near-space aircraft with
high aspect ratio usually owns large flexible wing structure,
great bending and reversing deformation will happen to
flexible wing structure with aerodynamic loads in flight,
which may change the distribution of aerodynamic on the
wing surface. The change of aerodynamic characteristics may
aggravate the flutter of the body, which not only affects the
normal work of the near space aircraft, but also makes the
structure destroyed prematurely, impacts on the life of the
structure, and may even lead to instability or destruction of
aircraft [1-2]. Therefore, it is significant for the alarm on the
safety of aircraft, mastering status information of wing
structure and improving mobility of aircraft that low modal
real-time vibration information and deformation information
of the aircraft structure can be acquired, and active monitoring
and controlling can be implemented effectively.
As far as research idea is concerned, on the basis of
distributed sensor information of deformation or vibration of
structure which can be acquired by embedding Fiber Bragg
Grating Sensor network into detected structure. The
reconstruction of shape and visualization of scene in computer
can be realized [3-6]. One of the key technologies is the fitting
method and corresponding algorithm of space surface based
on distributed sensor information, and computer technology
based on 3D-fitting algorithm of shape. The simulation model
referred to the paper is high-aspect-ratio wing structure of
near-space aircraft. A reconstruction method of space surface
based on curvature vector was analyzed and researched. In
order to achieve continuous curvature from discrete curvature,
the interpolation arithmetic of curvature was analyzed. The
space-curved-face 3D-reconstruction algorithm based on
orthogonal curvature vector was studied in combination with
moving coordinate system, curvature vector and osculating
plane. On the basis of the above-mentioned study, simulation
software environment was developed based on computer
graphics processing technology, simulation on reconstruction
algorithm of the shape of wing structure and visualization
technology verified the feasibility of the idea and technology
and showed anticipated simulation results.
II. DETECTING DISCRETE SURFACE CURVATURE
Four flexible rods were embedded into the wing surface
along the direction of wing length referred to the simulation
experimentation. Two sensors were packed orthogonally into
each flexible rod in order to acquire the curvature of two
orthogonal surfaces which perpendicular to the flexible rod
cross-section at eight discrete points, as shown in Figure 1, the
space curve of the flexible rod could be resolved into two
orthogonal curvature components which were expressed in
k a and k b separately. Thus, the detection of discrete surface
curvature information was transformed into the detection of
curvature information of the space curve.
Figure 1. Space curvature sensors installation and distribution of grating
detecting points

The research was sponsored by program of National Nature Science

Foundation China (No.90716027) and key program of Shanghai Municipal
Education Commission (No.09ZZ88).

978-1-4244-4507-3/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE

 According to mode coupling and photo-elastic theory, on point, x-axis was along curvature vector k a and y-axis was
the condition that the temperature was constant, the
along curvature vector k b .
relationship between the change of center wavelength ΔλB of
FBG and curvature C :

C = Δ λ B /( 1 − Pe ) λ B r (1)

They were linear on the condition that r 、 λB 、 Pe were

constant to a particular package. Therefore, the distributed
curvature information of deformation or vibration of wing
structure could be acquired by detecting the change of center
wavelength of each channel.

III. THE INTERPOLATION ARITHMETIC OF CURVATURE

The discrete curvature information used in the surface Figure 2. Moving coordinate system and osculating plane
reconstruction algorithm was obtained by the distribution of
sensor network. The reconstructed surface was rough so that The curvature vector k could be synthesized by curvature
could not reflect the deformation of structure accurately if the component k a and k b in moving coordinate system. The
limited curvature information was used in the surface
curve’s tangent vector and normal vector confirm its
reconstruction directly. Therefore the reasonable interpolation
osculating plane in differential geometry. The plane π which is
should be applied in the un-measured points based on the
discrete measured points in order to obtain as much effective confirmed by curvature vector k and c-axis of moving
curvature information as possible. coordinate system is just the curve’s osculating plane at
point o . Establishing osculating plane could make space curve
The vibration type of simulating wing is low-frequency fitting much simple. Because the whole space curve could be
and substantial, and the change of the frequency in low- regarded as many different radius micro arcs in different
frequency part is slow and straight relatively so that can meet osculating planes, space curve fitting can be solved with the
the law of linear change basically. Therefore the linear method of plane curve fitting in corresponding osculating
interpolation was introduced to discrete curvature components plane.
of wing surface separately, that was, If the curvatures of two
adjacent measurement points were k1 and k 2 , n points were The value of curvature vector k i which was composed in
inserted between the two points, the point i curvature could coordinate system {B i } could be counted by equation (3).
be calculated by formula (2).
2 2
k −k
k i = k ai + k bi (3)
k =k + 2 1 *i (2)
i 1 n k ai ， k bi were two curvature components at the point i .
The angle αi between k bi and k ai could be counted by
IV. SPACE-CURVED-FACE 3D-RECONSTRUCTION
ALGORITHM BASED ON CURVATURE equation (4).
The wing surface was separated into series of curves along
the direction of the wing length. Then the discrete curvature ⎧π / 2 ( k ai = 0 , k bi > 0 )
vector could be converted into the space coordinates based on ⎪
the space curve according to the space curve fitting algorithm. ⎪− π / 2 ( k ai = 0 , k bi < 0 )
These space coordinates were connected into a surface easily ⎪
based on computer graphics processing technology. Therefore, ⎪ (4)
α i = ⎨0 ( k ai = 0 , k bi = 0 )
the key was space curve reconstruction based on the curvature
vector. ⎪
⎪ tg −1 ( k bi / k ai ) ( k ai > 0 )
In order to solve the problem of space curve reconstruction, ⎪
moving coordinate system determined by the curve tangent ⎪ tg −1 ( k / k ) + π ( k ai < 0 )
and the curvature component was set up first. The osculating ⎩ bi ai

plane was determined by the curvature vector in moving
coordinate system. Then the calculation of curved space curve
could be realized in the osculating plane [7].
As Figure 2 shown, moving coordinate system a − b − c
was established, in which the z-axis was along tangent at this
Regard micro curve between point i and point i + 1 as
micro arc and fit plane curve in plane π i .The curvature of
plane arc’s initial point was k i .Arc’s length was ds .The
corresponding central angle was θi = ds*ki and {dai，dbi，dci}
can be got by equation (5).
 ''
⎧dai = cos(α i ) ∗ (1 − cos(θ i )) / k i that ci was along tangent of point i + 1 . The
⎪ corresponding transformation matrix was marked
k i ≠ 0 时 ⎨dbi = sin (α i ) ∗ (1 − cos(θ i )) / k i
⎪dc as [R bi, θi ] .
⎩ i = sin(θ i ) / k i
(5) 3) Rotated angle −α i around ci '' -axis. The
⎧dai =0 corresponding transformation matrix was marked
⎪
k i = 0 时 ⎨dbi =0 as [Rci,−αi] .
⎪dc = ds 4) Shifted a vector {dai，dbi，dci } .
⎩ i
Homogenous transformation matrix which changed
absolute coordinate system {A} to moving coordinate ⎡ −da⎤ ⎡nx ox ax −da⎤
⎢[Ri+1] −db⎥ ⎢ny oy ay −db⎥
system {B i } was marked as [Ti ] . [ti+1] = ⎢ −da⎥ = ⎢ ⎥ (10)
⎢ ⎥ ⎢nz oz az −dc⎥
⎢⎣0 0 0 1 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 0 0 1 ⎥⎦
{Bi } = [Ti ]{A} (6)
−1
Assuming that [Ti ] has been counted in the process of [R i +1 ] = [R ci, αi ][R bi, θi ][R ci, ]
− αi
solving coordinate from point i − 1 to point i , [Ti ]−1 could (11)
be defined like equation (7).
Homogenous transformation matrix changed {A} to
{B i+1 } was marked as [Ti+1 ] .
⎡a11i a12i a13i a14i ⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎢a21i a22i a23i a24i ⎥ {B i +1 } = [Ti +1 ]{A} (12)
[Ti ]−1 = ⎢ ⎥ (7)
Put equation (12) into the left of equation (9)，and put
⎢a31i a32i a33i a34i ⎥
⎢ ⎥ equation (6) into the right of equation (9).
⎢⎣ 0 0 0 1 ⎥⎦
[Ti +1 ] = [t i +1 ][Ti ] (13)
The absolute coordinate of point i + 1 in {A} could be got by
The absolute position coordinate and moving coordinate
equation (8). system of point i + 1 and the homogeneous transformation
matrix could be solved. The absolute position coordinate of
⎧ x i +1 ⎫ ⎧da i ⎫ each point in the curve could be derived with repeating the
⎪⎪ y i +1 ⎪⎪ ⎪⎪dbi ⎪⎪ above steps. The surface reconstruction could be achieved
⎨ z ⎬ = [Ti ]
−1
⎨dc ⎬ (8)
based on the computer graphics processing technology.
⎪ i +1 ⎪ ⎪ i⎪
⎪⎩ 1 ⎪⎭ ⎪⎩ 1 ⎪⎭ V. SIMULATION AND ANALYSES
Homogenous transformation matrix changed {B i } to In this paper, combining with OpenGL technology, 3D-
reconstruction and visualization software of the high-aspect-
{B i +1 } was marked as [t i +1 ] . ratio wing based on near-space aircraft was developed in
development environment Visual C++6.0. The simulation
{B i +1 } = [t i +1 ][B i ] testing was realized based on multi-channel curvature
examination information on experimental model. The results
(9)
of the reconstruction were shown in from Figure 3 to Figure 6.
The transform process of [t i+1 ] could be completed as
follows:
1) Rotated angle αi around c i -axis in {Bi } , then
a i -axis、 bi -axis、 c i ' -axis were formed. It was
' '

'
ensured that a i -axis was along curvature vector
k i of point i . The corresponding transformation
matrix was marked as [R ci, αi ] .
2) Rotated angle θ i around bi ' -axis, ''
then a i -axis、 Figure 3. High-aspect-ratio wing un-formed in AA plane and BB plane
'' ''
bi -axis 、 ci -axis were formed. It was ensured

Figure 4. High-aspect-ratio wing only deformed in AA plane
Figure 5. High-aspect-ratio wing only deformed in BB plane
Figure 6. High-aspect-ratio wing both deformed in AA plane and BB plane
In simulation analysis, all adopted curvatures were equal at
grating detecting points along the direction of wing length. For
AA plane, vertical values of four groups were: 0.001, 0.003,
0.005, 0.007; For BB plane, vertical values of four groups were:
-0.001, -0.0015, -0.002, -0.003. All screenshots were along the
negative x-axis direction. Figure 3 was the un-deformed high-
aspect-ratio wing. Figure 4 was the high-aspect-ratio wing only
deformed in AA plane, the change of amplitude of bending
deformation was smooth because vertical values of four groups
were linear. Figure 5 was the high-aspect-ratio wing only
deformed in BB plane, the amplitude of reversing deformation
trended larger because the change of vertical values of four
groups trended larger from the end to the front. Figure 6 was
the high-aspect-ratio wing both deformed in AA and BB plane.
The results showed that space-curved-face 3D-reconstruction
algorithm based on orthogonal curvature information could
reflect low modal vibration shape of high-aspect-ratio wing
real-timely and accurately.
VI. CONCLUSION
Using wing structure based on high-aspect-ratio near-space
aircraft as simulation model in the paper, the reconstruction
method of deformation of space surface structure and
algorithm process were analyzed and researched, and 3D
reconstruction and visualization of simulation wing structure
were realized based on orthogonal curvature information of
structural deformation and fitting algorithm of surface. The
linear interpolation method of curvature was brought up by
analyzing the vibration state of wing structure in depth. The
discrete curves of surface were fitted based on multi-point
curvatures along the direction of wing length and 3D-
reconstruction algorithm of curves, and 3D-surface of wing
could be reconstructed in combination with OpenGL
technology. Simulation results showed that the adopted linear
interpolation method and 3D-reconstruction algorithm could
apperceive the great bending and reversing deformation of
flying wing more accurately, and also visualization was good.
The results not only verified the feasibility of the research
ideas and the techniques, but also laid a good theory
foundation and brought up useful guide for the actual model
and visualization of reconstruction of shape in next phase.
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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES
Zhu Xiaojin: A Professor of Control Engineering and a
researcher with the Measuring and Control Engineering Group
in Department of Automation Engineering, Shanghai
University, Shanghai, China. His present research interests are
in signal processing, measuring and control technology, and
active noise and vibration control.
Jin Xiaobin: currently is a postgraduate student for pursuing
MS degree in Automation Engineering in Shanghai
University, Shanghai, China, and research major is in graphics
processing, measuring technology and instrument.