Morphing wings driven by bistable composite helical structure: An experimental study

Morphing aircraft can improve aerodynamic performance by dynamically adjusting the effective angle of attack along the wingspan. A twisting morphing wing driven by a bistable composite helical structure is proposed, and its torsional deformation capability is experimentally validated. The bistable composite helical structure and the reinforced flexible skin are designed using T700 carbon fiber prepreg and E615 silicone, and corresponding specimens are manufactured. The torsional characteristics of the carbon fiber helical shell are investigated through tensile and torque experiments, while the mechanical properties of the reinforced flexible skin are evaluated using compression and tensile tests. In addition, wind tunnel tests are conducted to examine the effects of wind speed and twist angle on the aerodynamic moment of the wing. The results show that the peak aerodynamic moment at a twist angle of 15° and a wind speed of 15 m/s is notably higher than that of the baseline wing configuration without twist.