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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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Introduction to helicopter dynamics 115<br />

Fig. 3.44 <strong>The</strong> aeroelasticity effect loop in a rotor blade. <strong>The</strong> blades are not rigid and can flex. This will affect<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir local angle <strong>of</strong> attack, changing <strong>the</strong> lift distribution that in turn causes flexing.<br />

Fig. 3.45 (a) If <strong>the</strong> blade has greater bending stiffness at <strong>the</strong> leading edge, it will wash out as lift increases.<br />

This is a stable condition as wash-out reduces <strong>the</strong> lift. (b) If <strong>the</strong> trailing edge is stiffer than <strong>the</strong> leading edge,<br />

lift causes wash-in that will fur<strong>the</strong>r increase <strong>the</strong> lift. Such a blade would suffer serious flutter and probably<br />

disintegrate.<br />

called aeroelasticity. As it is clear that <strong>the</strong> aerodynamics affect <strong>the</strong> flexing, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re<br />

is a loop. This loop may be stable or unstable. Part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> design process must be to<br />

ensure that aeroelastic effects always result in blade stability.<br />

<strong>The</strong> shape <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blade is completely defined by <strong>the</strong> root cut-out, <strong>the</strong> tip shape, <strong>the</strong><br />

degree <strong>of</strong> twist and taper and by <strong>the</strong> blade section used, which may change with radius.<br />

Assuming first a rigid blade, <strong>the</strong> blade shape will allow <strong>the</strong> time variant aerodynamic<br />

forces to be predicted in a given flight regime. <strong>The</strong> way <strong>the</strong> blade responds to this<br />

excitation is complicated. <strong>The</strong> torsional forces depend on <strong>the</strong> locus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong><br />

pressure with respect to <strong>the</strong> mass centroid. <strong>The</strong> effect <strong>of</strong> flight loads on blade twisting<br />

is significant because twist will alter <strong>the</strong> local angle <strong>of</strong> attack as well as feeding loads<br />

back into <strong>the</strong> control system. <strong>The</strong> degree <strong>of</strong> twisting depends on <strong>the</strong> moment <strong>of</strong> inertia,<br />

<strong>the</strong> stiffness, <strong>the</strong> damping and <strong>the</strong> frequency.<br />

<strong>The</strong> chord-wise distribution <strong>of</strong> stiffness needs to be known accurately. Figure 3.45(a)<br />

shows a blade in which <strong>the</strong> leading edge is stiffer than <strong>the</strong> trailing edge. <strong>The</strong> application<br />

<strong>of</strong> lift at <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> pressure causes <strong>the</strong> blade to wash out; a stable condition. However,<br />

Figure 3.45(b) shows a blade in which <strong>the</strong> trailing edge is stiffer than <strong>the</strong> leading<br />

edge. Here lift causes <strong>the</strong> blade to wash in; leading to flutter. As a result blades are

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