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 multi-level scalable parallel processing methods that are suited for modern rotorcraft structural dynamics analysis formulated using multi-body and finite element methodology. The research will also address the enhancement of the current rotorcraft structural dynamics modeling through the consideration of the 2-D/3-D finite element approach to improve rotorcraft structural dynamics modeling for modern advanced rotorcraft design and to better support CFD/CSD analysis. The parallel processing methods to be developed will address the rotor dynamics analysis employed either with 1-D nonlinear beam elements or with more sophisticated 2-D or 3-D finite elements. The proposed high performance computing methodology development will also accommodate concurrent rotorcraft analysis such as parameter sweep and design optimization to dramatically reduce the computational time. Phase I of this development focuses on the investigation of viable strategies for applying parallel computing in the framework of presently available comprehensive rotorcraft analysis codes. The Phase I efforts will focus on developing and testing the prototype of the parallel processing methodology in rotorcraft analysis codes including the model enhanced with 2-D/3-D finite element. Phase I will also demonstrate the high performance computing for the concurrent rotorcraft analysis tasks such as design sensitivity study.