This master thesis is a synthesis of the work on sizing of structural elements of a morphing wing and the design and manufacturing of it’s morphing mechanism. This work was part of the MDO 505 project (Morphing Architectures and Related Technologies for Wing Efficiency Improvement) funded by CRIAQ (Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace)
The first step of the project was to size the metal structure of the wing section using a method provided by Bombardier Aerospace. Because of the detachment of the upper skin and the integration of a morphing mechanism, the design of the wing section was adapted. This was performed using a global finite element model (GFEM) to extract design loads for analytical calculations of stresses under different loads.
The second part of the project was to design a mechanism to deform the upper wing skin. A linear actuator was designed to be incorporated into the wing and deform the upper skin of +/- 5 mm. An actuator with an Acme screw was modeled in detail and the components were dimensioned according to a static load of 4000 N and a dynamic load of 1500 N (at a speed of 1mm/s).
The actuator was then manufactured and tested against the strength and speed of actuation on a tensile testing machine. The endurance was also tested to verify the reliability before malfunctioning. These tests have shown that the actuator meet the design constraints.
The ultimate goal of the project was to test the wing section under normal flight loads while demonstrating that the upper skin can be deformed. The wing assembly with four actuators was therefore tested structurally on a test bench. Strain gauges were installed on all major components to measure strain and compare the experimental results with those of the finite element model. Results showed that strains are similar except for a few differences explained by nonlinear effects and measurement errors.
Overall, the work of this master thesis has validated that a wing section with an morphing upper skin can be sized according to the standards of Bombardier. In addition, an actuator system can be fitted inside the wing and morph the upper skin in flight conditions.
| Date | 17 Jan 2017 |
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| Original language | French |
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| Awarding Institution | - École de technologie supérieure
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| Supervisor | Simon Joncas (Supervisor) |
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Barry, D. (Author),
Joncas (Supervisor),
17 Jan 2017Student thesis: Master's thesis › Master in Engineering: Mechanical Engineering