Model parameter estimations of the multi-channel turbulence response from flutter flight tests based on autoregressive spectra

Abstract

Signal processing of flutter flight test data enables verification of aircraft flutter design, and the signal from a flutter flight test excited by atmospheric turbulence is a particularly important form of the flutter test. Owing to the randomness of atmospheric turbulence excitation, multi-channel analysis of turbulence responses at various positions in the same component can improve the analytical accuracy of flutter signal processing. The relationship between the maximum singular value of the multi-channel turbulence response power spectral density matrix and the system self-power spectral density function is elucidated herein using a frequency domain decomposition method. However, there is a contradiction in the power spectral density function between the spectral line density and the spectral line smoothing calculated based on the periodogram of the frequency domain decomposition. By applying an autoregressive spectral model, the power spectral density function of the turbulence response is calculated to achieve spectral line smoothing and sufficient spectral line density. Additionally, the power spectral density function is then used to construct the power spectral density function matrix of the multi-channel turbulence response, and the maximum singular value curve is calculated based on the singular value decomposition of each spectral pin. Finally, the modal parameters of the turbulence response signal are estimated via multi-modal frequency domain fitting. The developed approach is validated based on simulations and flutter flight test turbulence response signals.