Towards Maneuvering Aeroelasticity - Progress in the Simulation of Large Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems

In this work we describe our ongoing efforts towards the simulation of maneuvering flight at the boundaries of the flight envelope using high-fidelity multibody-based aero-servo-elastic vehicle models. We begin by formulating the maneuvering problem within the framework of optimal control theory. Next, because of the overwhelming computational costs implied by the solution of optimal control problems with detailed models of the vehicle, we describe a divide-and-conquer approach which approximates the solution by using alternating planning and tracking controllers. Both controllers are enabled by the predictive capabilities of a reduced model of the vehicle. A numerical example dealing with a helicopter performing a continued take-off after an engine failure demonstrates the current capabilities of the methodology.