Ground Loads Predictive Analysis

Aeroservoelastic analysis has achieved a high degree of maturity, covering all flight phases, while the important ground contact phase is not developed to the same degree of fidelity. This requires modeling the landing gear and its associated systems to an improved level of detail, to be interfaced with the aircraft aeroservoelastic models, enabling dynamic interactions and loads to be analysed with confidence. It is proposed to address these landing gear modelling issues, including all phases of ground contact and runway properties, for application to design and test evaluation requirements. Provision for including the flight control and propulsion systems will be made. Stirling Dynamics has substantial landing gear methodology currently available, and will adapt and extend these methods for this SBIR project. The models will be fully non-linear and suitable for time domain evaluation, with conversion to frequency domain by Fast Fourier Transform for assessment of rough runway response. Options will be provisioned for use of different aeroelastic codes in the eventual simulations. Phase II will continue development of the landing gear models and software, and will integrate the models with selected CFD codes, which will be adapted to account for ground effects and the aerodynamics of the extended landing gear.