AE4ASM506:

Aeroelasticity
Loads
Roeland De Breuker

1
Lecture goal

• Understand which aeroelastic loads we should take into account into loads
analysis for aircraft design.

• Understand which analysis techniques we have for loads analysis.

• Understand what is the role of a loads department and what are their
inputs and outputs.

2
 Aeroelastic
modelling

Structural Aerodynamic
Coupling
modelling modelling

Lagrange Ritz Steady Quasi steady Unsteady

Finite elements Theodorsen

Indicial
Typical section
functions

Rational
Stick model function
approximation
3
Aeroelastic phenomena

Stability Response/Loads

• Static response
Static Divergence • Trim
• Aileron effectiveness
• Manoeuvre loads

• Dynamic response
Dynamic Flutter • Gust loads

4
Typical aeroelastic response

5
Dynamic aeroelastic response

6
Yes, dynamic loads are important

7
Landing loads

8
Pilot control input

9
Types of loads analysis methods

10
Discrete versus continuous gust

11
The V-n diagram

12
Centre of gravity limits

13
Typical number of load cases

Flight Points 50
Mass Cases 100
Control Surface Configuration 10
Maneuvers and Gusts 50
Control Laws 4
Total Number of Cases 10,000,000

14
Cumnuantip, S., Kier, T., Risse, K., & Chiozzotto, G. P. (2016). Methods for
the quantification of aircraft loads in DLR-Project iLOADS. DLR
15
Correlated loads
Cumnuantip, S., Kier, T., Risse, K., & Chiozzotto, G. P. (2016). Methods for
the quantification of aircraft loads in DLR-Project iLOADS. DLR
16
Load envelopes
Result of the loads process

17
18
Summary
• Understand which aeroelastic loads we should take into account into loads
analysis for aircraft design.
There are two main groups of aeroelastic loads: static loads (manoeuvre)
and dynamic loads (gust and pilot input).

• Understand which analysis techniques we have for loads analysis.

Loads can be deterministic or stochastic. Stochastic loads are calculated
using PSD techniques, while deterministic loads can be calculated in
frequency or time domain.

• Understand what is the role of a loads department and what are their
inputs and outputs.
A loads department calculates static and dynamic loads based on a given
aircraft configuration. The resulting loads envelopes go to the stress
department for sizing of the structure, after which the loads are computed
again.
19