Aeroelastic characteristics of hypersonic vehicle tail at high angle of attack

During the flight of near space hypersonic vehicles, the external disturbances may result in high angle of attack conditions. And the off-design conditions may lead to a large deflection angle of the all-movable tail, which brings aeroelastic problem. Aimed at solving the aeroelastic problems, aeroelastic characteristics were analyzed by the CFD/CSD/CTD coupled method for the all-movable tail, and especially the aerodynamic response and structural deformation were focused on. The results show that aerodynamic response curves fluctuate and gradually decay to equilibrium position. The larger the attack angle is, the greater the initial amplitude is, the larger the proportion of aerodynamic coefficient decreases, and the amplitude decays faster. Bending/torsion coupling deformation occurs in the tail structure, and the structural deformation leads to the change of pressure distribution, the reduction of the whole pressure and the decrease of lift coefficient. The larger the attack angle is, the greater the decrease is. The maximum stress of the tail reaches 1.2 GPa at 30° angle of attack, which has reached yield strength limit of the nickel alloy material. It should be strengthened for the region where wing axis contacts with tail, or it should be limited for the operating angle in control law design. Axial deformation is mainly caused by aerodynamic thermal load, and normal deformation is caused by aerodynamic thermal load and aerodynamic force load. © 2021, Editorial Board of JBUAA. All right reserved.