Fluid-Structure-Jet Interaction Effects on High-Speed Vehicles

Abstract

This dissertation is focused on two design considerations for supersonic intercept missiles: (i) increased structural slenderness and (ii) attitude control jets. The resulting new designs have the potential to increase vehicle performance, but will lead to a coupled fluid-structure-jet interaction that has yet to be studied. Numerical results of the vehicle response across the design space and flight envelope can be used as guidelines for assessment of improved control effectiveness, maneuverability and agility.

First, vehicle models are developed that include slender structures and attitude control jets to conduct flight simulations. The numerical analysis of fluid-structure-jet interaction using these vehicle models deleted{helps to fill the gap in the literature and} provides insight into how this interaction can be leveraged during the design to improve performance.

Next, approximate methods for including jet interaction effects are developed for slender high-speed vehicles. These methods allow for more complex geometry, a range of flight conditions, and varying control inputs. The jet interaction models are developed for flight simulation to maintain accuracy without significant computational cost.

A detailed computational model of the maneuverable vehicle with fluid-structure-jet interaction is created to study the sensitivity to changes in flight conditions. These steady and dynamic results of the nonlinear system identify the conditions that may be difficult to model as well as those that can be exploited for improved performance.

Next, modeling methods for the fluid-structure-jet interaction dynamics in flight are developed and evaluated using aggressive maneuvers throughout the flight envelope. Previous methods are evaluated to identify their effectiveness and a new method is developed specifically to model the nonlinear vehicle response to aggressive maneuvers.

Finally, fluid-structure-jet interaction effects introduced by a slender missile body and attitude control jets are modeled during flight simulations. Multiple vehicle configurations are considered and the simulation results demonstrate the corresponding design modifications can impact vehicle maneuverability and agility.

Overall, this dissertation explores a new topic in fluid-structure-jet interaction that arises due to new design trends that seek to improve intercept missile performance. New modeling methods were developed to analyze the problem and numerical simulation results identify regions where the fluid-structure-jet interaction significantly affects the vehicle response.