Review of Smart-Materials Actuation Solutions for Aeroelastic and Vibration Control

Abstract

The paper reviews recent achievements in the application of smart-materials actuation to counteract aeroelastic and vibration effects in helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. A brief review of the induced-strain actuation principles and capabilities is done first. Attention is then focused on the smart rotor blade applications. Induced twist, active blade tip, and active blade flap are presented, with emphasis on experimental results. The fixed wing aircraft applications are considered next. Experiments of active flutter control, buffet suppression, gust load alleviation, and sonic fatigue reduction are discussed. Conclusions and directions for further work are presented at the end of the paper.