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Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.

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Main Author: Eckert, Bernd
Other Authors: Van Niekerk, J. L.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2007
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access_status_str Open Access
author Eckert, Bernd
author2 Van Niekerk, J. L.
author_browse Eckert, Bernd
Van Niekerk, J. L.
author_facet Van Niekerk, J. L.
Eckert, Bernd
author_sort Eckert, Bernd
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2522
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:19.685Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2007
publishDateRange 2007
publishDateSort 2007
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2522 Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter Eckert, Bernd Van Niekerk, J. L. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Dissertations -- Mechanical engineering Theses -- Mechanical engineering Resonant vibration Rotors (Helicopters) Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. The helicopter is a prime example of a nonlinear multi-body dynamic system that is subjected to numerous forces and motions to which the system must react. When a helicopter, with a conventionally articulated rotor head, is resting on the ground with its rotor spinning, a condition called ground resonance can develop. Ground resonance is a specific self-excited oscillation of the helicopter and is caused by the interaction between the main rotor blades and the fuselage structure. Inertia forces of the blades perform an out-of-phase lagging motion, which reacts with the elastic landing gear of the helicopter. For certain values of the main rotor angular velocity, the frequency of these inertia forces coincides with a natural vibration frequency of the fuselage structure. If this occurs, the inertia forces of the lagging blades produce oscillations of the fuselage, which then further excite the lagging motion of the blades. This interaction is responsible for an instability of conventionally articulated main rotor helicopters, which is called ground resonance. The ground resonance phenomenon is investigated by means of a classical analytical approach in which the ground resonance equations are derived from Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and verified with results in literature. These equations are required to discuss ground resonance stability in further detail and determine the specific regions in which the phenomenon occurs. These results are incorporated in a simplified numerical model using an elastic multiple-body dynamics analysis program called DYMORE to simulate the South African Rooivalk Combat Support Helicopter. DYMORE is a program that offers nonlinear multi-body dynamic analysis code, using the finite element method, which was specifically developed for helicopter modelling. The complexity of helicopter modelling generally requires large amounts of computing power to ensure reasonable processing time. In order to prevent excessive computational time, the numerical model will be simplified in terms of aerodynamic and structural aspects. The scope of the numerical investigation is, therefore, limited to the ground resonance phenomenon without the effect of aerodynamic forces and representing the fuselage as multi-body beam structures of specified stiffness. 2007-11-16T08:54:15Z 2010-06-01T08:51:11Z 2007-11-16T08:54:15Z 2010-06-01T08:51:11Z 2007-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2522 en University of Stellenbosch 4137428 bytes application/pdf application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Dissertations -- Mechanical engineering
Theses -- Mechanical engineering
Resonant vibration
Rotors (Helicopters)
Eckert, Bernd
Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
title Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
title_full Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
title_fullStr Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
title_full_unstemmed Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
title_short Analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
title_sort analytical and a numerical ground resonance analysis of a conventionally articulated main rotor helicopter
topic Dissertations -- Mechanical engineering
Theses -- Mechanical engineering
Resonant vibration
Rotors (Helicopters)
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2522
work_keys_str_mv AT eckertbernd analyticalandanumericalgroundresonanceanalysisofaconventionallyarticulatedmainrotorhelicopter