Structural and Vibrational Analysis of a PlastIc Annular Wind Tunnel Parachute Model
Abstract
A plastic annular parachute model will be tested in the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (AVSCOM/AFDD) wind tunnel at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. The data from the wind tunnel test will be used to verify results obtained from the computational fluid dynamics program SALE 'Simplified Arbitrary Lagrangian- Eulerian' (which is currently being modified by the Engineering Technology Division (ETD) of the Aero-Mechanical Engineering Directorate (AMED) at Natick to improve the prediction of flow fields around parachutes). In this report the parachute model test setup is analyzed to determine the possibility of failure during the wind tunnel test. The model is analyzed in stages of increasing complexity. For each stage the expected deformation and stresses in the model during the wind tunnel test are determined. The eigenvalues, eigenmodes and buckling possibilities at various stages of the analysis are also examined. Most of the stages of the analysis were carried out using the NISA Numerically Integrated Elements for system analysis finite element code. The culmination of the analysis is a comparison of various NISA elements. The calculated stresses for the model were well below the yield strength of the model material. The analysis of the model uncovered no structural difficulties for the planned wind tunnel tests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA259688
Entities
People
- Richard J. Benney
Organizations
- United States Army Soldier Systems Center