Exploiting chaotic dynamics for detecting parametric variations in aeroelastic systems

A panel forced by buffeting aerodynamic loads and undergoing limit-cycle oscillations and chaos is investigated. The interaction of dynamic and static instabilities is shown to lead to very complex dynamics, which includes static deformations, limit-cycle oscillations, and chaos. The sensitivity of the chaotic behavior to parametric changes is shown to be an effective tool in detecting structural changes such as variations in the stiffness of the mounting point of the upstream end of the panel. A finite difference method is used to simulate the dynamics of the aeroelastic system, and coherent structures of the panel dynamics are identified using proper orthogonal decomposition. The sensitivity of the dynamics of the coherent structures to parametric changes is discussed.