Wind tunnel flutter tests of a strut-braced high aspect ratio wing

Abstract

Abstract. Increasing the wing aspect ratio is one way to improve aircraft aerodynamic efficiency. This reduces the induced drag term but, at the same time, produces an increment of the wing loads, hence an increase of the structural weight. One design solution to reduce the wing root bending moment, which is the main driver of the weight of the wing, is the addition of a strut. This work deals with the experimental identification of the flutter behavior of an ultra-high aspect ratio (19) strut-braced wing in a wind tunnel. The inherent non-linear behavior of such a structure that has two different effects on the wing when loaded in compression and in tension is coupled with large deformations due to its extreme flexibility. From here derives the extreme importance of experimental tests to understand how different parameters of such a design can impact its aeroelastic behavior.