Aeroelasticity

2DOF Flutter
Darin Haudrich
Darin.p.haudrich@boeing.com
3/23/2015

Background
We previously seen that system phase and

amplitude are dependent on the velocity,

forcing frequency, and system damping and
frequency.
A linear aeroelastic system will change
damping and frequency with airspeed when
the system damping becomes unstable, flutter
occurs.
All systems typically have a flutter speed (and
a divergence speed).

2DOF Airfoil

Rigid Airfoil
P reference point
C Center of Mass
Q Aerodynamic center
T chord point
b chord
e and a go from -1 to 1
X = e-a

EOM
Using Lagranges Equations
Potential Energy
Kinetic Energy
Velocity is Needed as center of mass, C:
Inertial Velocity at P:

Going to the global coordinates K:

Generalized Forces

EOM
Lagranges Equation:
EOMs:
Lift slope is 2

Flutter Formulation
Uncoupled, natural frequencies at zero

airspeed:
Substituting Lift and frequencies into EOM

Note the units are consistent in the above

equations
Assuming

Flutter Formulation
Flutter EOM:
Although the above equation can be solved

introducing some dimensionless parameters

can help:
r is radius of gyration, is a frequency ratio, is a mass ratio,
and V is velocity ratio

Resulting in:
Divergence can be obtained when s=0

Results
a = -1/5, e = -1/10, = 20, r2 =6/25, and

=2/5

s= ( i)/