Composite wing flutter speed and frequency due to variable control surface deflection in low speed wind tunnel

Abstract

Flutter is a dynamic instability problem represents the interaction among structural, aerodynamic, elastic and inertial forces and occurred when the energy is continuously transformed by the surrounding fluids to a flying structure in the form of kinetic energy. The study was conducted to investigate the relationship of the control surface deflection angle to the flutter speed and the flutter frequency. A wind tunnel test was performed using a flat plate wing made of composite material. It was found that by deflecting the control surface up to 45°, the flutter speed reduced almost linearly from 35.6 m/s to 22.7 m/s. The flutter frequency greatly reduced from 48 Hz without the control surface deflected to 34 Hz with the control surface deflected at 15°. After 15° deflection up to 45°, the flutter frequency reduced almost linearly.