Document
AIAA-98-4448 APPLICATION OF FOREBODY STRAKES FOR DIRECTIONAL STABILITY AND CONTROL OF TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT Gautam H. Shah* NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA J. Nijel Grandat The Boeing Company Long Beach, CA ABSTRACT during take-off, or high-crosswind landings. The resulting requirement for large vertical fin and rudder A brief overview of a cooperative area can exact a large cruise drag penalty, with an NASNBoeing research effort, Strake Technology associated increase in fuel cost. Therefore, alternate Research Application to Transport Aircraft (STRATA), methods which can provide the required directional stability and control during such critical situations intended to explore the potential of applying forebody strake technology to transport aircraft configurations for without resorting to large vertical t a i h d d e r area would directional stability and control at low angles of attack, be of great interest to aircraft manufacturers.
is presented. As an initial step in the STRATA The use of forebody strakes for directional program, an exploratory wind-tunnel investigation of control of high-performance aircraft at high angles of the effect of fixed forebody strakes on the directional attack has been studied for quite some time, including stability and control characteristics of a generic transport ground and flight testing within NASA's High-Angle- of-Attack Technology Program (HATP). At high configuration was conducted in the NASA Langley 12- Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. Results of parametric angles of attack (typically, a > 30"), crossflow on the variations in strake chord and span, as well as the effect forebody is substantial, and altering that flowfield can of strake incidence, are presented. The use of strakes for generate a significant amount of side force. The large yaw control is also discussed. Results emphasize the moment arm between the forebody and the center of importance of forebody/fuselage crossflow in gravity results in that side force creating large yawing influencing strake effectiveness. Strake effectiveness is moments. Substantial amounts of directional control also seen to be directly related to its span, but less power using strakes at high angles of attack has been demonstrated in flight as part of the HATP1>2.In light sensitive to chord; a very short-chord strake with sufficient span can have a significant effect.
of these favorable results, a cooperative research effort was initiated between NASA Langley Research Center and McDonnell Douglas Corporation (now Boeing) to INTRODUCTION investigate the potential of applying strake technology to transport aircraft configurations. Unlike fighter Vertical tail sizing requirements for aircraft, the typical operational angle of attack range for conventional transport aircraft are often based on critical transport aircraft is well below 20", with approach asymmetric flight conditions, such as engine thrust loss alphas typically in a range around 803. There is substantially less crossflow on the fuselage at these conditions, so more innovative applications of strake * Aerospace Engineer, Vehicle Dynamics Branch concepts which are effective at high-a may be required.
Senior Member, AIAA The use of strakes on transport aircraft is not Engineer/Scientist - Stability, Control, and Flying without precedent. For example, the McDonnell Qualities, Phantom Works Douglas DC-9 aircraft, when stretched from the Series -30 to the Series -50 configuration, incorporated small Copyright 0 1998 by the American Institute of fixed strakes near the nose, reportedly to offset the Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. No copyright is change in directional stability caused by the increased asserted in the United States under Title 17, U S . Code. fuselage length ahead of the center of gravity. These The U S . Government has a royalty-free license to strakes were subsequently also placed on the DC-9-80, exercise all rights under the copyright claimed herein for or MD-80, aircraft. However, the flow physics Governmental Purposes. All other rights are reserved responsible for the directional stability changes due to by the copyright owner.
I American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448 the strakes has not been well studied, nor was the study and incidence were studied. The effectiveness of a single to optimize strake size and location well documented. strake as a control effector was also addressed. Results of this initial wind-tunnel study are presented herein.
OVERVIEW OF STRATA PROGRAM The Strake Technology Research Application SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS to Transport Aircraft (STRATA) program was developed as a four-year cooperative research effort between NASA and Boeing to explore the potential of applying b Wing span - forebody strake technology to transport aircraft C Wing mean aerodynamic chord configurations for directional stability and control at C, Lift coefficient Dihedral effect low angles of attack (typically 15" and below).
c,P As stated earlier, a detailed study to understand C, Pitching moment coefficient at 0.25 C the flow-field characteristics responsible for the C, Yawing moment coefficient, body axis directional stability improvements due to the DC-9 Static directional stability, body axis strakes has not been conducted. One of the goals of the Wing reference area STRATA program is to address this shortcoming in the X Strake chord current body of knowledge. Other objectives are a better Y Strake span understanding of the general forebody/fuselage flow a Angle of attack characteristics of conventional transport aircraft, and
P Angle of sideslip
development of concepts to exploit such flow physics for improved directional stability and control during The stability derivatives, C and C, , were computed as p.
various critical flight conditions, such as crosswind the slope between the rolling or yawing moment values approaches, engine-out conditions, and high-speed at P = +5" and -5"; the moments were observed to be generally linear within this range.
ground handling.
The technical approach is to begin with a series of exploratory wind- and water-tunnel tests of generic transport configurations to identify flow MODEL AND FACILITY DESCRIPTION characteristics and evaluate the effectiveness of various The model used in this investigation was a strake or other forebody control concepts on directional generic commercial transport configuration with low- axis aerodynamics. This effort will be augmented with analytical studies using a panel method approach. mounted swept wings and a conventional tail As favorable or promising concepts are arrangement (figure 1). No engine nacelles or pods were identified, more detailed studies (both experimental and modeled. The fuselage diameter and length, as well as analytical) will be performed on specific aircraft wing geometry, were roughly in proportion to an 8% configurations. Emphasis will be placed on stability MD-80 configuration, although the whole model is and control issues, such as control linearity, considerably different from an actual MD-80 (most aerodynamic coupling between axes, and aerodynamic notably, a conventional tail as opposed to the MD-80 T-tail, and no engines), and is not intended to represent damping in all axes, with a view toward development of effective, low-angle-of-attack directional control devices any specific airplane type.
for transport aircraft which would allow rudder/vertical The forebody strakes studied during this test tail size reductions for future aircraft designs.
were based on the planform and location of those on the The initial wind tunnel and water tunnel MD-80, and scaled to 8% of full-scale. The strakes investigations have been completed; results are being were mounted normal to the fuselage surface at an azimuthal location of 60" from the fuselage lower- reviewed to determine the nature of follow-on testing.
surface centerline. Figure 2 shows the dimensions of CURRENT INVESTIGATION the strakes tested, as well as their mounting position.
As a starting point for the STRATA program, Tests were conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel at a nominal dynamic an exploratory investigation was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel to pressure of 4 psf, which corresponds to a Reynolds study the effect of fixed forebody strakes on the Number of 0.335 X lo6, based on mean aerodynamic directional stability and control of a generic transport chord. Six-component force and moment data were aircraft configuration. The nominal strake configuration acquired with an internally-mounted strain-gage balance.
Figure 3 shows the model installation arrangement in used in this study was based on the fuselage strakes of the MD-80. Variations in strake planform geometry the wind tunnel test section.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS effective was unchanged. The 'threshold' beta as discussed above was also unchanged for the variations.
STABILITY Span variation results in a stability change over the The effect of the baseline strakes on the basic entire angle of attack range where the baseline strake aerodynamic characteristics is shown in figure 4. Minor itself is effective. The effectiveness due to span is effects are seen on lift and pitching moment roughly proportional to the span variation near stall characteristics; namely, an increase in pitching moment (lo" < a < l5"), but less sensitive to span at higher due to the strakes' surface area and location well forward angles of attack.
of the center of gravity. There is no significant effect of The effect of varying strake chord by 50% from the strakes on the configuration's effective dihedral, or the baseline geometry is shown in figure 9. The static lateral stability, except for a stabilizing influence sensitivity to this range of chord variation is significant at angles of attack above 18". However, an increase in around stall angles of attack, but is negligible above directional stability of 20% or greater is seen for a = 7" a = 17". Although stability levels do vary somewhat in relation to the chord length in the 7" to 17" range, the and higher, although little effect is seen at lower angles of attack. effect is far less than proportional; the results led to an investigation of even smaller strake chord lengths.
Yet-unpublished water tunnel studies of this same configuration indicate that the strakes alter the Figure 10 shows the effect of reducing chord length to as low as one-eighth of the baseline while retaining the fuselage crossflow characteristics in sideslip over a large length of the forward fuselage. Although the actual same span. The results clearly indicate that even a very short-chord strake can generate directional stability amount of crossflow may be small, the integrated effect over a long fuselage results in a noticeable directional improvements, and a moderately-sized one can retain stability change. much of the benefit seen by the baseline strake. The Strake effectiveness at sideslip is shown in effect of span on the shorter-chord strakes was not figure 5. At low angles of attack, virtually no effect is studied; therefore no conclusions about the proportional seen across the whole sideslip range. As alpha is effect of span variation can be applied to these increased, a stabilizing yawing moment increment due configurations.
to the strakes becomes evident at large beta, and the In the cases of both chord and span variation, the impact on longitudinal characteristics as well as sideslip angle at which the strakes become effective decreases as angle of attack is increased. This would dihedral effect was minor.
indicate that a critical level of crossflow is required for the strakes to have an effect. An attempt was made to Strake Incidence Effects The effect of strake incidence is shown in quantify the required crossflow level by averaging the figure 11. Positive incidence angle had a minor effect positive and negative sideslip angle at which the strake- on directional stability. There is a slight increase in on and strake-off data points no longer coincided.
Figure 6 shows the variation in this 'threshold' sideslip stability for 10" of incidence, but that improvement diminishes at higher incidence angles, where the effect as a function of angle of attack. It should be noted that since only a limited amount of data were acquired during is the same as the baseline strake. There is, however, a this test, repeat data points and finer angle-of-attack significant and non-linear effect due to negative increments are required before adequate quantitative incidence. In all cases, nose-down strake incidence degrades directional stability. There is only a slight confidence can be placed in the figure; however, useful qualitative trend information is provided. loss in stability (relative to the baseline strake) at -10" incidence, but stability is significantly reduced at greater Figure 7 shows the effect of a single strake on the left side of the fuselage in comparison with the negative incidence angles, and is even worse than the earlier two-strake data. At positive sideslip, the single strake-off configuration at low angles of attack.
strake generates the same yawing moment increment as two strakes, but has no effect at negative sideslip. This CONTROL indicates that the leeward strake is responsible for the The effectiveness of a single left strake as a flowfield changes that affect directional stability; the directional control device can be seen in figure 12, windward strake has negligible contribution.
which shows the effect of a baseline and double-span strake on yawing moment at zero sideslip. A yawing moment increment in a direction opposite of the strake Span and Chord Effects The effect of varying strake span by 50% from can be seen for a > 10". The levels are extremely low the baseline geometry is shown in figure 8. The relative to those which can be generated by a minimum angle of attack at which the strakes become conventional rudder; however, the control power may be American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448 sufficient for applications where small levels of yaw 6. The effectiveness of single or differentially-deflected control are needed, such as for stability augmentation, strakes as a directional control device was small and very nonlinear; however, only a limited like a yaw damper. This concept was studied by exploring if the yawing moment could be modulated investigation was conducted in this area.
with strake incidence. The results are shown in figure The forebody strakes are de-coupled control 7.
effectors-- very little impact on static longitudinal 13. Similar to what was seen with two symmetric strakes, there is little effect of positive incidence, but a and lateral characteristics was seen.
degrading effect can be seen at negative incidence. The variation in effective angle of attack range and magnitude of yawing moment due to incidence, CONCLUDING REMARKS however, is extremely non-linear, making any Results of this initial, exploratory application as a control device more difficult and investigation indicate that the use of strakes on complex than a conventional controller like a rudder.
Control effectiveness at sideslip was not investigated. transport aircraft configurations can have a noticeable effect on directional stability. The effectiveness of even The use of two, differentially-deflected strakes to increase control effectiveness was also briefly very small strakes means that such a concept could be explored, but no conclusive results were found. A applied with perhaps only minor impacts on drag and detailed study on the effect of incidence with this and performance. The requirement for minimum levels of other strake configurations is warranted, particularly if a crossflow, however, could mean that direct application more linear effect of incidence through differential of this strake concept may not be of great benefit in deflection can be obtained. However, the dependency of development of a control effector.
strake effectiveness on crossflow may limit the total Recognizing the ability to alter the fuselage flowfield with relatively small surfaces, whether fixed or magnitude of control power, and hence the application of this particular strake concept as a control effector. actuated, at low angles of attack should hopefully spur greater research toward the understanding of the flowfield behaviors that impact lateral/directional characteristics SUMMARY OF RESULTS of transport aircraft. The STRATA program will continue along this course in improving flowfield The results of this exploratory test can be understanding and in the development of innovative control effectors for transport aircraft configurations.
summarized as follows: A set of baseline strakes similar in planform and 1.
location to those on the MD-80 aircraft resulted in improved static directional stability on this generic REFERENCES transport configuration. As angle of attack increased, the sideslip angle at which the strakes Murri, D.G.; Fisher, D.F.; and Lanser, W.R.: became effective decreased, indicating that a critical Flight-Test Results of Actuated Forebody Strake Controls on the F-18 High-Alpha Research level of fuselage crossflow is required for the strakes to have an effect. Vehicle. NASA CP-1998-207676, Part 2, June, The leeward strake is responsible for altering the 2. 1998.
flowfield which results in improved stability; the Fisher, D.F.; Murri, D.G.; and Lanser, W.R.: windward strake has negligible effect. Effect of Actuated Forebody Strakes on the Directional stability improvement is roughly 3. Forebody Aerodynamics of the NASA F- 18 proportional to the span of the strake. HARV. NASA CP-1998-207676, Part 2, June, The effect of strake chord on stability is non-linear; 4. 1998.
most of the effectiveness above stall a can be Lin, J.C.; Robinson, S.K.; McGhee, R.J.; and achieved with a strake with small chord. Valarezo, W.O.: Separation Control on High There is minimal effect of positive (nose-up) strake Reynolds Number Multi-Element Airfoils. AIAA- 5.
incidence on stability, but negative incidence has a 92-2636, June, 1992.
non-linear and degrading effect.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448 s = 7.367 ft2 b = 8.583 ft
C =0.9083 ft
I Model length = 9.7 ft
Figure 1. Generic transport configuration geometry (not to scale)
FWD -
Strake X(in.) Y(in.)
- 1 0 in.
.3
Baseline 4.0 0.5 4.0 0.25 Span Variation Section A-A 4.0 0.75 Span Variation
.o
Span Variation 4.0 1 Chord Variation 0.5 0.5
Chord Variation 1 .o 0.5
Chord Variation 2.0 0.5 Chord Variation 6.0 0.5 Figure 2a. Strake geometry details Figure 2b. Strake position details American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448
0.OOlF I
UNSTABLE
n Baseline Strakes
I
“Zp
-0 -0 -0 Figure 3. Generic transport model in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel a, deg Figure 4c. Baseline strake effect on lateral stability 0.004
+ Strakes OFF
1 + Baseline Strakes
0.003
2’ol 1.5
0.002
1 .o
““P
0.001 cL 0.5 0.000 0.0
-0.001 -
-0.5 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 a, deg a, deg Figure 4d. Baseline strake effect on directional stability Figure 4a. Baseline strake effect on lift 0.05
0.2 c I
0.04 0.03 0.02 Cn 0.01 0.00 -0.01 -0.02 -0.03 -0.04 - 0 . 0 5 i a -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20 25
P, deg
a, deg Figure 5a. Baseline strake effect, a = 4” Figure 4b. Baseline strake effect on pitching moment American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 Cn 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 -0.01 -0.01 -0.02 -0.02 -0.03 -0.03 -0.04 -0.04 -0.05 -'.'520 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
P, deg P, deg
Figure 5e. Baseline strake effect, a = 20" Figure 5b. Baseline strake effect, a = 8" 0.05
lor
0.02 -0.02 k - .
-0.03 ' ' 0 .- _ _ 1 1 1 5 10 15 20 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 a, deg
P, deg
Figure 5c. Baseline strake effect, a = 12" Figure 6. 'Threshold' sideslip for strake effectiveness 0.05
+ Baseline Strakes
0.02 0.02 Cn 0.01 Cn 0.01
0.00 !-!L
-0.01 t -
-0.01
-0.02 L
I -n nf; I I I I I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "."- 0'0520 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 -20 -15 - I O -5 0 5 I O 15 20
P, deg
P, deg
Figure 7. Effect of single versus two strakes, a = 12" Figure 5d. Baseline strake effect, a = 16" American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448 0.004 0.004 nce = 0" (baseline) 0.003 0.003 0.002 0.002
""P ""P
0.001 0.001 0.000 0.000 UNSTABLE -0.001 -0.001 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 a, deg a, deg Figure 1la. Effect of strake incidence (positive) Figure 8. Effect of strake span variation 0.004 0.004 Strake Incidence = 0" Lbaseline) Strake Incidence = -10 Strake Incidence = -20" 0.003 0.003 Strake Incidence = -30" 0.002 0.002
""P
""P
0.001 0.001 0.000 0.000
1 I UNSTABLE
-0.001 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 a, deg a, deg Figure 1lb. Effect of strake incidence (negative) Figure 9. Effect of strake chord variation 0.004 = 1 (baseline) = 0.5
r Baseline Left Strake Only
= 0.25 0.003 = 0.125 Cn 0.002 0.00 "nP 0.001 -0.01 0.000 UNSTABLE -0.02 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 a, deg a, deg Figure 12. Effect of single strake on yawing moment Figure 10. Effect of reducing strake chord American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA-98-4448
+ Strake OFF
+ Left Strake, 0' Incidence
0 Left Strake, 10' Incidence 0.01 0 ' 0 2 1
+ Left Strake, 30' Incidence
I
Cn 0.00
I
-o.02-5 5 10 15 20 25 a, deg Figure 13a. Effect of left strake incidence on yaw control (positive incidence) 0 . 0 2 r h
n Left Strake, 0' Incidence
0 Left Strake, -30' Incidence 0.01 Cn 0.00 -0.01 -o.02-5 5 10 15 20 25 a, deg Figure 13b. Effect of left strake incidence on yaw control (negative incidence) American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics