Experimental investigation of a highly flexible wing

This study focuses on the experimental characterization of the dynamic response of a high aspect ratio flexible wind tunnel model (PAZY wing). Numerous studies have shown that flutter appears as a hump mode, influenced by the static aeroelastic solution, which in turn affects the coupling of the second bending and first torsional modes. By installing the same model in different wind tunnels and modifying the boundary conditions, this study emphasizes the significance of even the smallest details in such analyses. Furthermore, it demonstrates the effectiveness of Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) based approaches. Lastly, the study sheds light on the subcritical nature of the Limit Cycle Oscillations (LCO) exhibited at three, five, and seven degrees of incidence at the wing root. It reveals that the system’s response as it approaches the flutter onset speed depends on the strength of external perturbations, which can drive the system toward either the trivial solution or the LCO.