ABSTRACT Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of an Extreme Aspect Ratio HALE UAV Bryan J. Morrisey Development of High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft systems is part of a vision for a low cost communications/surveillance capability. Applications of a multi payload aircraft operating for extended periods at stratospheric altitudes span military and civil genres and support battlefield operations, communications, atmospheric or agricultural monitoring, surveillance, and other disciplines that may currently require satellite-based infrastructure. Presently, several development efforts are underway in this field, including a project sponsored by DARPA that aims at producing an aircraft that can sustain flight for multiple years and act as a pseudo-satellite. Design of this type of air vehicle represents a substantial challenge because of the vast number of engineering disciplines required for analysis, and its residence at the frontier of energy technology. The central goal of this research was the development of a multidisciplinary tool for analysis, design, and optimization of HALE UAVs, facilitating the study of a novel configuration concept. Applying design ideas stemming from a unique WWII-era project, a “pinned wing” HALE aircraft would employ self-supporting wing segments assembled into one overall flying wing. The research effort began with the creation of a multidisciplinary analysis environment comprised of analysis modules, each providing information about a specific discipline. As the modules were created, attempts were made to validate and calibrate the processes against known data, culminating in a validation study of the fully integrated MDA environment. Using the NASA / AeroVironment Helios aircraft as a basis for comparison, the included MDA environment sized a vehicle to within 5% of the actual maximum gross weight for generalized Helios payload and mission data. When wrapped in an optimization routine, the same integrated design environment shows potential for a 17.3% reduction in weight when wing thickness to chord ratio, aspect ratio, wing loading, and power to weight ratio are included as optimizer-controlled design variables. Investigation of applying the sustained day/night mission requirement and improved technology factors to the design shows that there are potential benefits associated with a segmented or pinned wing. As expected, wing structural weight is reduced, but benefits diminish as higher numbers of wing segments are considered. For an aircraft consisting of six wing segments, a maximum of 14.2% reduction in gross weight over an advanced technology optimal baseline is predicted.

Additive Manufacturing, and specifically powder bed fusion processes, have advanced rapidly in recent years. Selective Laser Melting in particular has been adopted in a variety of industries from biomedical to aerospace because of its capability to produce complex components with numerous alloys, including stainless steels, nickel superalloys, and titanium alloys. Post-processing is required to treat or solve metallurgical issues such as porosity, residual stresses, and surface roughness. Because of the geometric complexity of SLM produced parts, the reduction of surface roughness with conventional processing has proven especially challenging. In this Thesis, two processes, abrasive flow machining and ultrasonic shot peening, are evaluated as surface finishing processes for selective laser melted 316L. Results of these experiments indicate that AFM can reliably polish as-built internal passages to 1 µm Ra or better but is unsuitable for passages with rapidly expanding or contracting cross-sections. AFM can also polish relatively small passages, but lattice components may prove too complex for effective processing. USP cannot achieve such low surface roughness, but it is a versatile process with multiple advantages. Exterior surfaces were consistently processed to 1.7 to 2.5 µm Ra. Interior surfaces experienced only partial processing and demonstrated high geometric dependence. USP significantly hardened the surface, but steel media hardened the surface better than ceramic media did. Both AFM and USP are recommended processes for the surface finishing of SLM manufactured parts. Good engineering judgement is necessary to determine when to use these processes and how to design for post-processing.

Asymmetric bending is explored as a means of inducing bend-twist coupling in an isotropic, fixed-wing airfoil. An analytical model describing the bend-twist coupling behavior of a constant-section airfoil undergoing steady wind loading is derived from Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, and evaluated over a range of structural and material stiffness. Finite element analysis is carried out in the ANSYS Parametric Design Language environment for an asymmetric, two-dimensional beam. Three-dimensional finite element analysis is carried out for two candidate blade models created in Pro/Engineer based on the NACA 64618 airfoil. Deformation results for the two- and three-dimensional finite element models are compared with analytical solutions. Results of this investigation highlight the dependency between the cross-sectional properties of a spar support and its tendency to exhibit twist-coupling under transverse loading.

This work investigates the feasibility of producing small scale, low aerodynamic loading wind tunnel models, using FDM 3D printing methods, that are both structurally and aerodynamically representative in the wind tunnel. To verify the applicability of this approach, a 2.07% scale model of the NASA CRM was produced, whose wings were manufacturing using a Finite Deposition Modeling 3D printer. Experimental data was compared to numerical simulations to determine percent difference in wake distribution and wingtip deflection for multiple configurations. Numerical simulation data taken in the form of CFD and FEA was used to validate data taken in the wind tunnel experiments. The experiment utilized a wake rake to measure 3 different spanwise locations of the wing for aerodynamic data, and a videogrammetry method was used to measure the deflection of the wingtips for structural data. Both numerical simulations and experiments were evaluated at Reynolds numbers of 258,000 and 362,000 at 0 degrees angle of attack, and 258,000 at 5 degrees angle of attack. Results indicate that the wing wake minimum in the wind tunnel test had shifted approximately 8.8mm at the wingtip for the Nylon 910 wing at 258,000 Reynolds number for 0 degrees angle of attack when compared to CFD. Videogrammetry results indicate that the wing deflected 5.9mm, and has an 18.6% difference from observed deflection in FEA. This reveals the potential for small scale wind tunnel models to be more representative of true flight behavior for low loading scenarios.

This study investigated the effect of sensor mass, sensor location, and delamination location of different composite structures under dynamic loading. The study pertains to research of the use of accelerometers and dynamic response as a cost-effective and reliable method of structural health monitoring in composite structures. The composite structures in this research included carbon fiber plates, carbon fiber-foam sandwich panels, and carbon-fiber honeycomb sandwich panels. The composite structures were manufactured with the use of a Tetrahedron MTP-8 heat press. All work was conducted in the Cal Poly Aerospace Structures/Composites Laboratory. Initial delaminations were placed at several locations along the specimen, including the bending mode node line locations. The free vibration of the composite structure was forced through a harmonic horizontal vibration test using an Unholtz-Dickie shake system. A sinusoidal sweep input was considered for the test. The dynamic response of the composite test specimens were measured using piezoelectric accelerometers. Measurements were taken along horizontal and vertical locations on the surfaces of the composite structures. Square inch grids were marked on the surfaces to create a meshed grid system. Accelerometer measurements were taken at the center of the grids. The VIP Sensors 1011A piezoelectric accelerometer was used to measure vibration response. The measurements were then compared to response measurements taken from a PCB Piezotronics 353B04 single access accelerometer to determine the effects of sensor mass. Deviations in bending mode natural frequency and differences in mode shape amplitude became the criteria for evaluating the effect of sensor mass, sensor location, and delamination location. Changes in damping of the time response were also studied. The experimental results were compared to numerical models created using a finite element method. The experimental results and numerical values were shown to be in good agreement. The sensor mass greatly affected the accuracy and precision of vibration response measurements in the composites structures. The smaller weight and area of the VIP accelerometer helped to minimize the decrease in accuracy and precision due to sensor mass. The effect of sensor location was found to be coupled with the effect of sensor mass and the bending mode shape. The sensor location did not affect the vibration response measurements when the sensor mass was minimized. Off-center horizontal sensor placement showed the possibility of measuring vibration torsion modes. The effect of delamination changed the bending mode shape of the composite structure, which corresponded to a change in natural frequency. The greatest effect of the delamination was seen at the bending mode node lines, where the bending mode shape was most significantly affected. The effect of delamination was also dependent on the location of the delamination and the composite structure type. The results of this study provided considerations for future research of an active structural health monitoring system of composite structures using dynamic response measurements. The considerations included sensor mass reduction, sensor placement at constraints and bond areas and the presence of damping material.

Aircraft are often designed with numbers determined by testing in a lab, rather than by repeatedly building prototypes. These lab tests conform to testing specifications so that the numbers can be compared between manufacturers, suppliers, and lab technicians. One such specification is ASTM specification E238 – 84(08), and it is used to determine important properties of a bearing pin joint like hinges, bolt holes, and rivet joints. The properties determined from this fastener-through-plate method are bearing strength, bearing yield strength, and bearing stiffness. Adhering to the methods outlined in ASTM E238, a study was performed, looking at the effects that plate material, fastener used, fastener lubrication, and plate hole preparation method (whether drilled and reamed or just drilled) have on the three bearing joint properties. The plate materials used were Al 7050 – T7451, Ti – 6Al – 4V (mill annealed), and PH13 – 8Mo – H1000. The fasteners were Ti – 6Al – 4V screws, coated A286 screws, and high speed steel (HSS) pins used as a control. Lubrication was tested using a corrosion inhibitor, PR – 1776M B – 2 from PRC – DeSoto, on the fastener or leaving the fastener uncoated. The HSS pins were always tested in the uncoated condition. 54 runs were performed, as outlined by a D-optimal design of experiment. It was discovered from the statistical analysis of the results via ANOVA that both the plate material used and the pin material, whether a screw or a pin, had a significant effect on the bearing strength, bearing yield strength, and bearing stiffness. The interaction between the two factors was also significant on all responses but the bearing stiffness. PH13 – 8Mo – H1000 plates seemed to perform best on average, followed by Ti – 6Al – 4V plates, then Al 7050 – T7451 plates. PH13 – 8Mo – H1000 and Ti – 6Al – 4V plates had similar bearing strength and bearing yield strength averages with the HSS control pins being used, which had the highest mean values for a given plate and fastener. The Ti – 6Al – 4V and A286 screws behaved and performed statistically similar in most cases, except when hole preparation method was take into account. The Ti – 6Al – 4V screws performed better when the hole was drilled and reamed, while the coated A286 screws performed better when the hole was drilled only. All screws had lower resulting bearing properties than the HSS control pins. It was also found that ASTM specification E238 – 84(08) is a precise test method, since the method could be performed repeatably and reliably with no missing data points. Therefore, this ASTM testing method is reasonable for determining bearing properties, which can then be used to design aircraft.

Cold spray is a unique additive manufacturing process, where a large number of ductile metal micro particles are deposited to create new surface coatings or free-standing structures. Metallic particles are accelerated through a gas stream, reaching velocities of over 1 km/s. Accelerated particles experience a high-strain-rate microscopic ballistic collisions against a target substrate. Large amounts of kinetic energy results in extreme plastic deformation of the particles and substrate. Though the cold spray process has been in use for decades, the extreme material science behind the deformation of particles has not been well understood due to experimental difficulties arising from the succinct spatial (10 μm) and temporal scales (10 ns). In this study, using a recently developed micro-ballistic method, the advanced laser induced projectile impact test (α-LIPIT), the dynamic behavior of micro-particles during the collision is precisely defined. We observe single aluminum 6061 alloy particles, approximately 20μm in diameter, impact and rebound off of a rigid target surface over a broad range of impact speeds, temperatures, and substrate oxide film thicknesses. Through observation of the collisions, we extract characteristic information of the dynamic response of particles as well as the relationship with various parameters (e.g. surrounding temperature, particle diameter, oxide thickness, and impact velocity). By impacting a polished aluminum 6061 alloy substrate we are able to mimic the collision events that occur during cold spray deposition. The connection between the temperature increase and the oxide thickness plays a role in theorizing the cause of unexpected phenomena, such as increased rebound energies at higher temperatures. Highly-controlled single particle impacts results, are provided to calibrate and improve computational simulations as well. This, in turn, can provide insight into the underlying material science behind the cold spray process.

Large-scale testing of low-rise buildings or components of tall buildings is essential as it provides more representative information about the realistic wind effects than the typical small scale studies, but as the model size increases, relatively less large-scale turbulence in the upcoming flow can be generated. This results in a turbulence power spectrum lacking low-frequency turbulence content. This deficiency is known to have significant effects on the estimated peak wind loads. To overcome these limitations, the method of Partial Turbulence Simulation (PTS) has been developed recently in the FIU Wall of Wind lab to analytically compensate for the effects of the missing low-frequency content of the spectrum. This method requires post-test analysis procedures and is based on the quasi-steady assumptions. The current study was an effort to enhance that technique by investigating the effect of scaling and the range of applicability of the method by considering the limitations risen from the underlying theory, and to simplify the 2DPTS (includes both in-plane components of the turbulence) by proposing a weighted average method. Investigating the effect of Reynolds number on peak aerodynamic pressures was another objective of the study. The results from five tested building models show as the model size was increased, PTS results showed a better agreement with the available field data from TTU building. Although for the smaller models (i.e., 1:100,1:50) almost a full range of turbulence spectrum was present, the highest peaks observed at full-scale were not reproduced, which apparently was because of the Reynolds number effect. The most accurate results were obtained when the PTS was used in the case with highest Reynolds number, which was the1:6 scale model with a less than 5% blockage and a xLum/bm ratio of 0.78. Besides that, the results showed that the weighted average PTS method can be used in lieu of the 2DPTS approach. So to achieve the most accurate results, a large-scale test followed by a PTS peak estimation method deemed to be the desirable approach which also allows the xLum/bm values much smaller than the ASCE recommended numbers.

This paper describes the changes made from Cal Poly’s initial railgun system, the Mk. 1 railgun, to the Mk. 1.1 system, as well as the design, fabrication, and testing of a newer and larger Mk. 2 railgun system. The Mk. 1.1 system is developed as a more efficient alteration of the original Mk. 1 system, but is found to be defective due to hardware deficiencies and failure, as well as unforeseen efficiency losses. A Mk. 2 system is developed and built around donated hardware from the Naval Postgraduate School. The Mk. 2 system strove to implement an efficient, augmented, electromagnetic railgun and projectile system capable of firing an approximate 1g aluminum projectile to speeds exceeding 2 km/s. A novel three part projectile is proposed to mitigate rail and projectile degradation. Projectile and sabot system kinematic equations are derived and the projectile is designed and tested along with Mk. 2 barrel. A numerical electromechanical model is developed to predict the performance of the Mk. 2 system and projectile assembly, and predicts a final velocity for the fabricated system exceeding 3.5 km/s and an efficiency as high as 24%. Testing of the Mk. 2 system showed catastrophic failure of the projectile during initial acceleration, resulting in very short acceleration times and distance, low velocity projectiles, and low efficiencies. During further testing of various projectile configurations, the barrel structure failed due to a large internal arc. Future work for the Mk. 2 system is discussed, a revised external barrel structure suggested, and a solid, more conventional solid chevron projectile design suggested.

Collision with orbital debris poses a serious threat to spacecraft and astronauts. Hypervelocity impacts resulting from collisions mean that objects with a mass less than 1g can cause mission-ending damage to spacecraft. A means of shielding spacecraft against collisions is necessary. A means of testing candidate shielding methods for their efficacy in mitigating hypervelocity impacts is therefore also necessary. Cal Poly’s Electromagnetic Railgun was designed with the goal of creating a laboratory system capable of simulating hypervelocity (≥ 3 km/s) impacts. Due to several factors, the system was not previously capable of high-velocity (≥ 1 km/s) tests. A deficient projectile design is revised, and a new design is tested. The new projectile design is demonstrated to enable far greater performance than the previous design, with a muzzle velocity ≥ 1 km/sbeing verified during testing, and an energy conversion efficiency of 2.7%. A method of improving contact and controlling wear at the projectile/rail interface using silver plating and conductive silver paste is validated. A mechanism explaining the problem of internal arcing within the railgun barrel is proposed, and design recommendations are made to eliminate arcing on the basis of the work done during testing. The primary structural members are found to be deficient for their application and a failure analysis of a failed member, loading analysis of the railgun barrel, and design of new structures is undertaken and presented.