The novel morphing airfoil based on the bistable composite laminated shell

In this paper, a novel morphing airfoil based on a four-corner simply supported bistable composite laminated shell is elaborated. Based on the thin airfoil theory, the aerodynamic load can be identified. Utilizing the Hamilton’s principle, dynamic equations concerning the dynamic snap-through and nonlinear dynamics of the novel morphing airfoil are elucidated. The inertia, damping, restoring force and aerodynamic load terms are accounted for in the dynamic equations. A visual representation of the restoring force curve is exhibited, revealing the snap-through and the three equilibrium states. A number of quasi-static locations are exhibited in the context of the restoring force curve, generating a number of related airfoils. Thus, a graphic representation of the aerodynamic coefficients at the pre-snap-through, snap-through and post-snap-through stages is provided. The novel morphing airfoil under minor disturbances is held constant, and its aerodynamically controlled motions are characterized by the period doubling bifurcation and the 1/2-subharmonic resonance, which are both depicted in a variety of phase and frequency spectrum diagrams. Shock dynamics under transient aerodynamic excitation for large disturbances are detailed, illuminating the limit cycle oscillations and the chaotic snap-through. The limit cycle oscillations, the multiple-period snap-through and the chaotic snap-through are features of the morphing airfoil under harmonic excitation. The negative stiffness system offered by the bistable composite laminated shell has a significant influence on the amplitude–frequency response curves’ apparent softening nonlinear effect. The development of aircraft morphing assemblies can be supported by this study.