UCLA

In this dissertation, a parallel three-dimensional aeroelastic simulation is applied

to current and next generation fighter aircraft wings. The computational model is a

nonlinear fluid and structural mesh coupled using the Direct Eulerian-Langrangian

method. This method attaches unique local coordinates to each node and connects

the fluid mesh to the structure in such a way that a transformation preserved to the

global coordinates. This allows the fluid and structure to be updated in the same

time step and maintains spatial accuracy at their interface. The structural mesh

is modeled using modified nonlinear von Karman finite elements and is discretized

using the Galerkin finite element method. The fluid mesh also used the Galerkin

finite element method to discretize the unsteady Euler equations.

Computational results over a large range of Mach numbers and densities are presented for two candidate fighter wing models for transonic wing tunnel testing. The

FX-35 is a trapezoidal wing based on the F-35A, and the F-Wing is a truncated delta wing similar to the F-16. Both wings exhibit a variety of flutter behaviors including

strong bending-torsion flutter, limit-cycle oscillations, and essentially single

degree-of-freedom responses.