Morphing Laminar Wing With Flexible Extrados Powered by Shape Memory Alloy Actuators

Abstract

An active structure of a morphing wing designed for subsonic cruise flight conditions combines three principal subsystems: (1) flexible extrados, (2) rigid intrados and (3) an actuator group located inside the wing box. A structural model of the flexible extrados built with ANSYS finite element software is coupled with X’Foil fluid dynamics software to evaluate mechanical and aerodynamic performances of the morphing wing in different flight conditions. Using the multicriteria optimization technique, an active structure consisting of the 4-ply laminated composite flexible extrados powered by two individually controlled actuators is selected. Shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators are designed as power elements for the morphing wing. To meet the functional requirements of the application, the geometry of the SMA elements is calculated using the results of the constrained recovery testing of the selected material.