Active-Materials Induced-Strain Actuation for Aeroelastic Vibration Control

Recent achievements in the application of active- materials induced-strain actuation to counteract aeroelastic and vibration effects in helicopters and fixed wing aircraft are reviewed. First, the induced-strain actuation principles and capabilities are briefly presented. Next, the attention is focused on the smart rotor blade applications. Induced twist, active blade tip, and active blade flap are presented, with emphasis on experimental results. Then, fixed wing aircraft applications are considered. Experiments of active flutter control, buffet suppression, gust load alleviation, and sonic fatigue reduction are discussed. Conclusions and directions for further work are presented.