Coupled CFD-CSM simulations of aerostabil windtunnel experiments, considering structural shell modelling

Steady CFD-CSM coupled simulations of the Aerostabil windtunnel experiments comprising a beam finite element model and RANS computations have not shown a satisfying agreement with the experimental pressure data. Aim of the present work is to advance the correlation of experimental and computational results. Since investigations have shown that in the aerodynamic simulations errors can probably be excluded as cause for the deviations, the need for a higher fidelity structural model arises. The new shell finite element model is used for re-computations of the steady windtunnel experiments and shows strongly improved simulation results due to the capturing of airfoil deformations.