Design and analysis of rotor systems with multiple trailing edge flaps and resonant actuators

The purpose of this thesis is to develop piezoelectric resonant actuation systems and new active control methods utilizing the multiple trailing-edge flaps' configuration for rotorcraft vibration suppression and blade loads control.; An aeroelastic model is developed for a composite rotor blade with multiple trailing-edge flaps. The rotor blade airloads are calculated using quasi-steady blade element aerodynamics with a free wake model for rotor inflow. A compressible unsteady aerodynamics model is employed to accurately predict the incremental trailing edge flap airloads. Both the finite wing effect and actuator saturation for trailing-edge flaps are also included in an aeroelastic analysis.; For a composite articulated rotor, a new active blade loads control method is developed and tested numerically. The concept involves straightening the blade by introducing dual trailing edge flaps. The objective function, which includes vibratory hub loads, bending moment harmonics and active flap control inputs, is minimized by an integrated optimal control/optimization process. A numerical simulation is performed for the steady-state forward flight of an advance ratio of 0.35. It is demonstrated that through straightening the rotor blade, which mimics the behavior of a rigid blade, both the bending moments and vibratory hub loads can be significantly reduced by 32% and 57%, respectively.; An active vibration control method is developed and analyzed for a hingeless rotor. The concept involves deflecting each individual trailing-edge flap using a compact resonant actuation system. Each resonant actuation system could yield high authority, while operating at a single frequency. Parametric studies are conducted to explore the finite wing effect of trailing-edge flaps and actuator saturation. A numerical simulation has been performed for the steady-state forward flight (mu = 0.15 ∼ 0.35). It is demonstrated that multiple trailing-edge flap configuration with the resonant actuation system can reduce the required trailing-edge flap hinge moments by 37% to 61% in each individual actuator compared to single-flap configuration for high speed flight conditions. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...