Partitioned procedures for the transient solution of coupled aroelastic problems Part I: Model problem, theory and two-dimensional application Original Research Article

In order to predict the dynamic response of a flexible structure in a fluid flow, the equations of motion of the structure and the fluid must be solved simultaneously. In this paper we present several partitioned procedures for time-integrating this focus coupled problem and discuss their merits in terms of accuracy, stability, heterogeneous computing, I/O transfers, subcycling and parallel processing. All theoretical results are derived for a one-dimensional piston model problem with a compressible flow, because the complete three-dimensional aeroelastic problem is difficult to analyze mathematically. However, the insight gained from the analysis of the coupled piston problem and the conclusions drawn from its numerical investigation are confirmed with the numerical simulation of the two-dimensional transient aeroelastic response of a flexible panel in a transonic non-linear Euler flow regime.