Supersonic Flutter Suppression of Honeycomb Sandwich Panels via Embedded Periodic Nonlinear Vibration Absorbers

Abstract This study investigates flutter suppression in honeycomb composite panels subjected to supersonic flow using periodic nonlinear vibration absorbers (NVAs). A theoretical model of the honeycomb core layer was developed based on the equivalent elastic modulus method, while the large-deformation behavior of the composite panel was described using higher-order shear deformation theory combined with von Kármán strain–displacement relations. Unsteady aerodynamic loads were modeled using first-order piston theory, resulting in a three-dimensional nonlinear aeroelastic flutter model for the honeycomb composite panel. Based on this formulation, NVAs embedded within the honeycomb unit cells and implemented as mass–spring systems were designed and integrated into the panel structure. Parametric analyses were performed to investigate the effects of the NVA parameters on bandgap characteristics, flutter stability boundaries, and nonlinear flutter responses. The results show that the absorber parameters govern the bandgap characteristics, modal interaction, and nonlinear aeroelastic response of the panel through local resonance–induced energy redistribution and absorber–structure coupling, thereby increasing the critical flutter dynamic pressure and effectively reducing the nonlinear flutter amplitude under supersonic flow.