This master thesis work presents the development of a parameterized automated generic model for the structural design of an aircraft wing. Furthermore, in order to perform finite element analysis on the aircraft wing geometry, the process of finite element mesh generation is automated. Aircraft conceptual design is inherently a multi-disciplinary design process which involves a large number of disciplines and expertise. In this thesis work, it is investigated how high-end CAD software‟s can be used in the early stages of an aircraft design process, especially for the design of an aircraft wing and its structural entities wing spars and wing ribs. The generic model that is developed in this regard is able to automate the process of creation and modification of the aircraft wing geometry based on a series of parameters which define the geometrical characteristics of wing panels, wing spars and wing ribs.Two different approaches are used for the creation of the generic model of an aircraft wing which are “Knowledge Pattern” and “PowerCopy with Visual Basic Scripting” using the CATIA V5 software. A performance comparison of the generic wing model based on these two approaches is also performed. In the early stages of the aircraft design process, an estimate of the structural characteristic of the aircraft wing is desirable for which a surface structural analysis (using 2D mesh elements) is more suitable. In this regard, the process of finite element mesh generation for the generic wing model is automated. The finite element mesh is generated for the wing panels, wing spars and wing ribs. Furthermore, the finite element mesh is updated based on any changes in geometry and the shape of the wing panels, wing spars or wing ribs, and ensure that all the mesh elements are always properly connected at the nodes. The automated FE mesh generated can be used for performing the structural analysis on an aircraft wing.

As estruturas aeronáuticas estão sujeitas a diversas solicitações, devido principalmente às interações com o escoamento aerodinâmico, que podem causar distúrbios e vibrações, comprometendo seu desempenho. As medidas aerodinâmicas aplicadas em uma aeronave podem ser obtidas por simulações computacionais ou testes experimentais. No entanto, podem existir imperfeições na simulação computacional, como por exemplo, se conseguir reproduzir algumas condições de vôo real. Sendo assim, diversas pesquisas vêm sendo realizadas para solucionar estes problemas. Dentre elas estão os testes experimentais feitos em túnel de vento com modelos de escala real em diversas condições de vôo. Desta forma, a construção de um modelo físico de um aerofólio em escala reduzida e a implementação de sensores a este modelo torna-se uma ferramenta bastante importante para validar resultados teóricos e experimentais. Assim, nesse trabalho realizou-se a construção de um modelo de aerofólio NACA0012, o desenvolvimento de um mecanismo de fixação do modelo ao túnel de vento e a implementação de um controlador de oscilação forçada. O modelo físico realiza oscilações harmônicas, em regime não-estacionário. O objetivo do trabalho foi mapear as medidas de pressão atuantes sobre modelo ensaiado em regime estacionário e não-estacionário e fazer a comparação entre os dois casos. / Aeronautical structures are affected by many loads, most of them given by the aerodynamic flow interactions. These flow interactions may cause vibration leading to structural failure, such as cracks and fatigue. The aerodynamic flow interactions can be measured by experiment or predicted by computational simulation. Otherwise, computational simulations on its own are not reliable and can not reproduce a real flight condition, such as the mean atmospheric turbulence dynamic. Many researches has been done to solve these problems for computational simulations. One of them are the wind tunnel experiments with a full scale models in many flight conditions for posterior comparison. For a smaller wind tunnel, a small scale physical prototype well instrumented becomes an important solution to validate theoretical and experimental results. In the present work the construction of a NACA 0012 airfoil model, the development of a constraint mechanism and the implementation of a forced oscilation control system were done. The physical model oscilates with a given frequency. The aim of present work is to map the pressure measurements actuating on the model, testing it under a steady state condition and a transient condition for posterior comparison of both conditions.

As estruturas aeronáuticas estão sujeitas a diversas solicitações, devido principalmente às interações com o escoamento aerodinâmico, que podem causar distúrbios e vibrações, comprometendo seu desempenho. As medidas aerodinâmicas aplicadas em uma aeronave podem ser obtidas por simulações computacionais ou testes experimentais. No entanto, podem existir imperfeições na simulação computacional, como por exemplo, se conseguir reproduzir algumas condições de vôo real. Sendo assim, diversas pesquisas vêm sendo realizadas para solucionar estes problemas. Dentre elas estão os testes experimentais feitos em túnel de vento com modelos de escala real em diversas condições de vôo. Desta forma, a construção de um modelo físico de um aerofólio em escala reduzida e a implementação de sensores a este modelo torna-se uma ferramenta bastante importante para validar resultados teóricos e experimentais. Assim, nesse trabalho realizou-se a construção de um modelo de aerofólio NACA0012, o desenvolvimento de um mecanismo de fixação do modelo ao túnel de vento e a implementação de um controlador de oscilação forçada. O modelo físico realiza oscilações harmônicas, em regime não-estacionário. O objetivo do trabalho foi mapear as medidas de pressão atuantes sobre modelo ensaiado em regime estacionário e não-estacionário e fazer a comparação entre os dois casos. / Aeronautical structures are affected by many loads, most of them given by the aerodynamic flow interactions. These flow interactions may cause vibration leading to structural failure, such as cracks and fatigue. The aerodynamic flow interactions can be measured by experiment or predicted by computational simulation. Otherwise, computational simulations on its own are not reliable and can not reproduce a real flight condition, such as the mean atmospheric turbulence dynamic. Many researches has been done to solve these problems for computational simulations. One of them are the wind tunnel experiments with a full scale models in many flight conditions for posterior comparison. For a smaller wind tunnel, a small scale physical prototype well instrumented becomes an important solution to validate theoretical and experimental results. In the present work the construction of a NACA 0012 airfoil model, the development of a constraint mechanism and the implementation of a forced oscilation control system were done. The physical model oscilates with a given frequency. The aim of present work is to map the pressure measurements actuating on the model, testing it under a steady state condition and a transient condition for posterior comparison of both conditions.

This thesis deals with computing the pressure distribution around a swimming slender fish and the thrust generated by its flapping motion. The body of the fish is modeled as a missile like slender body to which a tail is attached that is modeled as a swept wing. The tail is attached to the tip of the slender body and maintains its slope with it. The motion for the swimming fish is prescribed. The fluid flow is modeled as an unsteady potential flow problem with the flow around the slender body modeled as flow over an array of cylinders of varying radii and the flow over the swept wing modeled using the vortex panel method. The pressure distribution is computed using the unsteady Bernoulli equation. The overall thrust & drag for different parameters are studied and compared