• International Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2015

In helicopter bearingless rotor design, the flexbeam is the key component of rotor system, which plays an importantrole in the blade flapping, lead-lag movement, torsion, and load transfer. Flexbeam must have the minimum torsion stiffness with enough tension strength. In this paper, we first investigated the torsion stiffness of different cross section configurations of the flexbeam through some simple experiments. Then we analyzed a rotor's dynamical characteristics with finite element method and got the rotor's fan plot. After that, we studied the relationship between the frequency changes with the spanwise distribution of mass and stiffness in bearingless rotor. Finally, we analyzed the influence of the flexbeam on dynamical characteristics of the bearingless rotor system, and completed the design of this type of rotor flexbeam.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.108-111
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• 2004

Structural dynamic characteristics and aeroelastic stability of a small-scale bearingless rotor system have been investigated. A flexbeam is one of the most important component of bearingless hub system. It must have sufficient torsional flexibility as well as baseline stiffness in order to produce feathering motion. In the present paper, a cross-shaped composite flexbeam has been proposed for a guarantee of torsional flexibility and flapwise and lagwise bending stiffness. One dimensional elastic beam model was used for the construction of a structural model. Equivalent isotropic sectional stiffness was used in the blade model, and the flexbeam was regarded as anisotropic; which has ten independent stiffness quantities. CAMRAD II has been used for the analysis of structural dynamic characteristics of the bearingless rotor system. Rotational natural frequencies and aeroelastic stability at hovering have been investigated. Analysis result shows that the cross-shaped flexbeam has the rotational natural frequency tuning capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.561-568
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• 2013

After we designed Bearingless rotor hub system for 7,000lb class helicopter, flexbeam fatigue analysis was conducted for validation of requirement life time 8,000 hours. sectional structural analysis method applying elastic beam model was used. Fatigue analysis for two sections of flexbeam which were expected to weak to fatigue damage from result of static analysis was conducted. Extension, bending and torsion stiffness of flexbeam section shape was calculated using VABS for structure analysis. S-N curve of two composite material which composed flexbeam was generated using wohler equation. Load analysis of bearingless rotor system was conducted using CAMRAD II and load analysis result was applied HELIX/FELIX standard load spectrum to generate bearingless rotor system load spectrum which was used flexbeam fatigue safe life analysis.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.341-349
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• 2013

This paper considers the optimum design of flexbeam cross-sections for a full-scale bearingless helicopter rotor, using an efficient hybrid optimization algorithm based on particle swarm optimization, and an improved genetic algorithm, with an effective constraint handling scheme for constrained nonlinear optimization. The basic operators of the genetic algorithm, of crossover and mutation, are revisited, and a new rank-based multi-parent crossover operator is utilized. The rank-based crossover operator simultaneously enhances both the local, and the global exploration. The benchmark results demonstrate remarkable improvements, in terms of efficiency and robustness, as compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms. The developed algorithm is adopted for two baseline flexbeam section designs, and optimum cross-section configurations are obtained with less function evaluations, and less computation time.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.691-698
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• 2014

This paper describes the manufacturing processes for a flexbeam and torque tube made of composite materials, along with the procedures for testing their basic properties. A flexbeam and torque tube can be considered to be key structural components of a bearingless rotor hub system. A hinge offset effect can be realized by a large elastic deformation and twist of the flexbeam, and the blade pitch control forces are transferred by the rotation of the torque tube. The basic property tests included bending and twist tests to determine the flap stiffness, lag stiffness, and torsion stiffness of the flexbeam, torque tube, and blade, and these tests were performed prior to starting the whirl tower test. In addition, the estimated results were compared with experimental data, and the calculations were found to be a good match for the analysis results and had a similar tendency. Through these results, we could confirm that a flexbeam and torque tube made of composite materials satisfied the structural stiffness requirements.

• Composites Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2004

The aeroelastic stability analysis of composite bearingless rotors is investigated using a large deflection beam theory in hover. The bearingless rotor configuration consists of a single flexbeam with a wrap-around type torque tube and the pitch links located at the leading edge and trailing edge of the torque tube. The outboard main blade, flexbeam and torque tube are all assumed to be an elastic beam undergoing flap bending, lead-lag bending, elastic twist and axial deflections, which are discretized into beam finite elements. For the analysis of composite bearingless rotors, flexbeam is assumed to be a rectangular section made of laminate. Two-dimensional quasi-steady strip theory is used for aerodynamic computation. The finite element equations of motion for beams are obtained from Hamilton's principle. The p-k method is used to determine aeroelastic stability boundary. Numerical results are presented for selected bearingless rotor configurations based on the lay-up of laminae in the flexbeam and pitch links location. A systematic study is made to identify the importance of the stiffness coupling terms on aeroelastic stability for various fiber orientation and for different configuration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.52-56
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• 2011

Recently, KARI(Korea Aerospace Research Institute) has been developing a modern 11.5m diameter four bladed bearingless main rotor system, and this rotor system can be used for 7,000lb class helicopter. Flexbeam and torque tube can be considered as the key structural components, and large elastic twist of flexbeam induced by pitch control motion of torque tube can influence the nonlinear aeroelastic behavior. In this paper, the dynamic characteristic analysis results of bearingless rotor system were presented. In order to construct a input model and validate the analysis procedures, calculated results using the comprehensive helicopter analysis program CAMRAD II were compared with the measured natural frequencies and lag damping data from small-scale wind tunnel test. Next, the analysis model was extended to a full-scale model, and the dynamic analysis results were presented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2013.04a
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• pp.383-389
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• 2013

Rotor system is a very important part which produces lift, thrust and control force in helicopter. Component of rotor system must endure various flight load for the required life. In helicopter rotor system, bearingless rotor system is the highest technology rotor system compare with articulated and hingeless rotor system. Baaringless rotor system is not include mechanical flap hinge, lag hinge and pitch bearing. Bearingless rotor component flexbeam which made by composite material has conduct hinge and bearing role instead of mechanical flap hinge, lag hinge and pitch bearing. These characteristics has less part number and lass weight than others. In this paper, conduct safe life analysis of bearingless composite component flexbeam and torque tube applying to utility helicopter load condition.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.187-192
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• 2012

Recently, KARI(Korea Aerospace Research Institute) has been developing a modern 11.5 m diameter four bladed bearingless main rotor system, and this rotor system can be used for 7,000 lb class helicopter. Flexbeam and torque tube can be considered as key structural components, and large elastic twist of flexbeam induced by pitch control motion of torque tube can influence the nonlinear aeroelastic behavior. In this paper, the dynamic characteristic analysis results of bearingless rotor system were presented. In order to construct a input model and validate the analysis procedures, calculated results using the comprehensive helicopter analysis program CAMRAD II were compared with the measured natural frequencies and lag damping data from small-scale wind tunnel test. Next, the analysis model was extended to a full-scale model, and the dynamic analysis results were presented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.83-86
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• 2004

The aeroelastic stability analysis of composite bearingless rotors is investigated using a large deflection beam theory in hover. The bearingless rotor configuration consists of a single flexbeam with a wrap-around type torque tube and the pitch links located at the leading edge and trailing edge of the torque tube root. For the analysis of composite bearingless rotors, flexbeam is assumed to be a rectangular section made of laminate. Two-dimensional quasi-steady strip theory and Loewy's aerodynamic theory with the lift deficiency function are used for unsteady aerodynamic computation. The finite element equations of motion for beams are obtained using Hamilton's principle. Numerical results of selected bearingless rotor configurations are obtained for the lay-up of laminae in the flexbeam and pitch links location.