High Performance Computing for Rotorcraft Structural Dynamics

This research is dedicated to developing methodology and software to significantly improve the computational efficiency of comprehensive rotorcraft analysis tools in support of aircraft design and engineering applications. The development will emphasize two critical aspects: high fidelity structural dynamics modeling and high computational efficiency. Rotorcraft Comprehensive Analysis System (RCAS) is used as the platform for this research. Based on the progress made in Phase I, Phase II will continue the studies with a focus on the enhancement of the existing RCAS solution such that the parallel computing can be applied for the rotorcraft analysis. The parallel processing algorithm based on the non-overlapping domain decomposition method at a coarse level, which was developed in Phase I, will be adopted for the solution. The parallel computing would deal with not only the RCAS structural dynamic analysis but also other systems (for example, the airloads computation, the induced velocity, the drivetrain system, and the flight control system). Phase II will also focus on the development of the next generation high fidelity and highly computationally efficient rotorcraft structural dynamics analysis tool in the framework of RCAS which will accommodate higher order (2D/3D) finite elements for rotorcraft structural dynamics and the highly efficient solution. The tool will have the capability to model rotorcraft blade structures using a combination of 1D nonlinear beam elements, 2D shell elements and 3D finite elements. It will also be able to be run in parallel such that high efficiency can be achieved.