Experimental Verification of High-Fidelity Static Aeroelastic Load Predictions

This paper presents an experimental verification of high-fidelity static load predictions for an aspect ratio 13.5 Common Research Model (CRM) wind tunnel model equipped with trailing edge distributed flaps. These flaps are explored for active control applications, including real time drag optimization, maneuver load alleviation, gust load alleviation, and flutter suppression. Static aeroelastic analyses are performed using the FUN3D solver for two configurations: the wind tunnel test article alone and the test article installed in the wind tunnel test section. The latter configuration incorporates the effects of the slotted test section wall interference in the NASA Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The structural mode shapes are extracted from a GVT-validated NASTRAN model for use in FUN3D. Angle of attack sweeps and flap deflection sweeps are conducted to compute aerodynamic coefficients for comparison with NASTRAN static aeroelastic predictions and with wind tunnel measurements. Additionally, the predicted wing deformation is compared against model deformation data measured by a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system.