Efficient aeroelastic analysis of inflatable structures using enhanced potential flow aerodynamics

An efficient method for the aeroelastic analysis of wind effects on inflatable structures is presented. The solution scheme is staggered and uses an explicit finite-element structural solver and potential flow aerodynamics. In order to take into account the essential features of the flow around blunt-shaped structures, a physics-based correction of the inviscid solution is proposed. The procedure involves automatic prediction of the detached flow areas (using Stratford’s criterion) and an empirical modification of the calculated pressure field intended to match the real viscous behavior. Several validation benchmarks and a realistic application example are presented. The results show the capability of the model to predict the wind loads on the structure with sufficient accuracy and low computational cost, making it possible to use aeroelastic analysis for routine calculation of inflatable structures.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Numerical simulation of an inflated structure for an aircraft hangar

BuildAir S.A. has projected and built the H75 hangar in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) for aircraft storage and maintenance tasks. The hangar is mainly conceived as a set of inflatable tubes where the stiffness is provided by the internal pressure and the stability of the structure is assured by a textile straps network. The structural analysis and design of this structure involves complex structural concepts due to the specificity of the structural elements employed which makes the problem highly non-linear. In this paper, the numerical simulation of the hangar and its structural units is presented as well as some structural and numerical conclusions and/or recommendations coming out from the work developed in the H75 structural analysis. The lack of standards for wind loads over this type of structures lead to oversized pressure distribution over the hangar. To improve the knowledge about the wind loads a coupled fluid-structure interaction is being developed a Panel Method approach for the fluid. Preliminary and promising results for an inflatable hangar are also presented.Postprint (published version

Efficient aeroelastic analysis of inflatable structures using enhanced potential flow aerodynamics

An efficient method for the aeroelastic analysis of wind effects on inflatable structures is presented. The solution scheme is staggered and uses an explicit finite-element structural solver and potential flow aerodynamics. In order to take into account the essential features of the flow around blunt-shaped structures, a physics-based correction of the inviscid solution is proposed. The procedure involves automatic prediction of the detached flow areas (using Stratford’s criterion) and an empirical modification of the calculated pressure field intended to match the real viscous behavior. Several validation benchmarks and a realistic application example are presented. The results show the capability of the model to predict the wind loads on the structure with sufficient accuracy and low computational cost, making it possible to use aeroelastic analysis for routine calculation of inflatable structures.Peer Reviewe