NASTRAN Based Static CFD-CSM Coupling in FlowSimulator

For high-fidelity fluid-structure interaction simulations different tools are necessary to allow the highest possible accuracy. In this context the data transfer between the aerodynamic surface and the structural model, and the CFD-mesh deformation are the key parameters. This paper shows a methodology to couple different CFD-solvers to the commercial finite element code Nastran. Thereby the coupling scheme can combine different coupling methods, like radial basis function interpolation and structural beam representations, in one coupling matrix. This allows the application of an adequate coupling function for each component of a complex aircraft model. Considering the performance of fluid-structure coupling, the exported spline matrix of a commerical tool is compared to FSAdvanced Splining, a coupling tool integrated into the FlowSimulator software environment. Additionally an update to CFDmesh deformation with radial basis function interpolation and a strategy for control surface deflection is presented.