Aeroelastic behaviour of aerospace structural elements with follower force: A review

Abstract

In general, forces acting on aerospace structures can be divided into two categories-a) conservative forces and b) nonconservative forces. Aeroelastic effects occur due to highly flexible nature of the structure, coupled with the unsteady aerodynamic forces, causing unbounded static deflection (divergence) and dynamic oscillations (flutter). Flexible wing panels subjected to jet thrust and missile type of structures under end rocket thrust are nonconservative systems. Here the structural elements are subjected to follower kind of forces; as the end thrust follow the deformed shape of the flexible structure. When a structure is under a constant follower force whose direction changes according to the deformation of the structure, it may undergo static instability (divergence) where transverse natural frequencies merge into zero and dynamic instability (flutter), where two natural frequencies coincide with each other resulting in the amplitude of vibration growing without bound. However, when the follower forces are pulsating in nature, another kind of dynamic instability is also seen. If certain conditions are satisfied between the driving frequency and the transverse natural frequency, then dynamic instability called 'parametric resonance' occurs and the amplitude of transverse vibration increases without bound. The present review paper will discuss the aeroelastic behaviour of aerospace structures under nonconservative forces. © 2011. The Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Science.