A Deterministic Limit for Aeroelastic Flutter: Deriving the Critical Resonant Node Radius via Structural Kinematic Damping

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Authors: John Drayton
Cited by: 0

Abstract

The prevention of aeroelastic flutter in macroscopic mechanical structures, such as aircraft wings and suspension bridges, relies heavily on classical unsteady aerodynamic theories and complex eigenvalue stability analysis, most notably derived from Theodorsen's formulation. While these frameworks effectively estimate critical flutter velocities by determining when net structural damping becomes negative, they fail to deterministically define the exact spatial boundary where a localized resonant node triggers a cascading transition into destructive mechanical runaway. This paper introduces a strict continuum framework for macroscopic classical kinematic scaling. By modeling the structural lattice as a dynamic balance between the spatial capacity for kinematic energy dispersion (structural damping) and the localized rate of aeroelastic forcing, we derive a universal critical flutter radius (Rflutter). We demonstrate that structural resonance collapse is not merely a fluid-velocity threshold, but an exact deterministic limit where localized aerodynamic energy injection strictly overpowers the advective kinematic dispersion capacity of the mechanical span. This method provides an exact spatial threshold for transition, offering superior accuracy over traditional models. We propose a blueprint for Active Flutter Suppression (AFS) using distributed piezoelectric spatial telemetry, enabling real-time transition prediction and mitigation before catastrophic structural failure.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Aeroelasticity and Vibration Control Fluid Dynamics and Vibration Analysis Vibration and Dynamic Analysis

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
1 March 2026
Language
EN