Abstract
Mitigating global warming and its associated consequences stands as the paramount challenge of our generation. The aviation industry and its aircraft must actively contribute to achieving climate neutrality. Regardless of the fuel used, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency emerges as a pivotal factor in attaining this goal. While numerous analyses and wind tunnel tests have highlighted the decisive advantages of variable wing trailing edges, no such system has yet been implemented commercially. The increasing mass and system complexity, however, compromise many of these advantages. This paper introduces a novel concept for morphing the trailing edge (Hyperelastic Trailing Edge Morphing, HyTEM), which has a completely continuous wing skin and possesses the potential to map spanwise-differentiated deflections. This capability enables the optimization of lift distribution based on the flight point. An application scenario of HyTEM are trailing edges of normal-category aeroplanes like CS-23. However, first Implementation is planned on a scaled demonstrator “Proteus”. The system is initially outlined and subsequently scrutinized using two analytical and two finite element methods. Although all these models rely on assumptions of linear material behaviour. Coupon tests were conducted to determine a specific stiffness. The linear material behaviour was verified through the single lap shear test. The results demonstrate that the application of HyTEM can reduce internal driving forces to 0,01% to 0,0001% of those in a conventional trailing edge connection with a continuous wing skin. Moreover, it has been established that linear material behaviour within the utilized strain is feasible and the method already provides sufficient accuracy for actuator sizing.