Optimisation of an SMA-Based Morphing Architecture

Aircraft morphing architectures are currently worldwide investigated to explore the possibility of attaining better performance while reducing weights, volumes and costs of the whole wing system. It is well-known that a 3-flap wing, for instance, shall pay a penalty up to 100% due to the insertion of mechanical devices in its body. Moreover, the insertion of nacelles, aimed at covering the mechanical devices, disturb the wing aerodynamics itself. Also, flapped wings are noisy. The introduction of deformable instead of the classical slotted and flapped wings may lead to significant enhancement also in this field. In the frame of the Joint European Initiative on Green Regional Aircraft, inside a cooperation with the University of Naples, Department of Aerospace Engineering, the authors with their colleagues came to the definition of novel architectures, aimed at those aims. These structures are characterized by load-bearing actuators, a concept that allows overcoming the classical paradox of smart structure systems: capability of bearing loads while attaining (very) large deformations.