Modeling and Design of an Experimental Demonstrator of Blade Twist Through the SMA Technology

The paper at hand focuses on the modeling and design of an experimental demonstrator of a blade segment, twisted through Shape Memory Alloy technology. The demonstrator will be used for the wind tunnel tests planned within the Project of SABRE (H2020 Eu Program), aimed at investigating the effects produced by blade oriented morphing technologies, both in fixed and rotary wing configurations. The design approach adopted for a SMA twist concept is herein described in its different phases, moving from the definition of the preliminary layout, its fitting to the reference blade mechanical features, the preliminary structural analysis to confine its operational envelope, up to the simulation of the SMA actuation through a SMA torque element. The results are presented in terms of operational envelope limits and transmitted twist.