Premium
A non‐linear unsteady flexible wing theory
Author(s) -
Wu Theodore Y.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
structural control and health monitoring
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.587
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1545-2263
pISSN - 1545-2255
DOI - 10.1002/stc.131
Subject(s) - inviscid flow , vorticity , wing , vortex , mathematics , computation , wake , trajectory , motion (physics) , linear system , mathematical analysis , classical mechanics , physics , engineering , aerospace engineering , mechanics , algorithm , astronomy
This paper extends a previous study by Wu ( Adv. Appl. Mech. 2001; 38 :291–353) to continue developing a fully non‐linear theory for calculation of unsteady flow generated by a two‐dimensional flexible lifting surface moving in arbitrary manner through an incompressible and inviscid fluid for modelling bird/insect flight and fish swimming. The original physical concept elucidated by von Ká rmá n and Sears ( J. Aeronau Sci. 1938; 5 :379–390) in describing the complete vortex system of a wing and its wake in non‐uniform motion for their linear theory is adapted and applied to a fully non‐linear consideration. The new theory employs a joint Eulerian and Lagrangian description of the lifting‐surface movement to facilitate the formulation. The present investigation presents further analysis for addressing arbitrary variations in wing shape and trajectory to achieve a non‐linear integral equation akin to Wagner's ( Z. Angew. Math. Mech. 1925; 5 :17–35) linear version for accurate computation of the entire system of vorticity distribution. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.