AM10 · The Aeroacoustics of Elastic Structures

The proposed research combines knowledge in two major disciplines in aeronautical sciences: aeroacoustics and aeroelasticity. While each of the disciplines has been the subject of extensive studies for more than half a century, the combination of the two, particularly in the context of thin-structure aeromechanics, supplies a new set of challenging problems that need to be addressed.The project will develop a theoretical scheme for studying the combined effects of flow unsteadiness (incident gust or localized turbulence) and external forcing (boundary actuation) on the aeroelastic and aeroacoustic behaviors of elastic structures. At first, the dynamical problem will be formulatedand studied. Then, the dynamical description will serve as an effective ""source term"" for the evaluation of the acoustic field. The formulation of the aeroacoustic problem will be based on a compact-body acoustic analogy, thus avoiding the traditional difficulty in obtaining the weak acoustic far field from direct simulations. The results are expected to shed light on the mechanisms coupling between the motion and sound of thin elastic structures, and to lead to the development of novel elasto-acoustic noise-control methodologies. These are highly desirable in various applications, including the development of ""green"" noise-control systems for the reduction of trailing edge noise,the monitoring of the acoustic signature of flapping-wing micro-unmanned-aerial-vehicles (MUAVs), and the analysis of natural phenomena such as insect-flight sound. The objectives of the project are in line with ongoing efforts in the European Community to develop new techniques for the design of noise reduction systems in both civil and military applications.""