Inverse Analysis of Distributed Load Using Strain Data

Abstract

: The operational stress data is quite useful in managing the structural integrity and airworthiness of an aircraft. Since the aerodynamic load (pressure) distributes continuously on the structure surface, identifying the load from finite number of measured strain data is not easy. Although this is an inverse problem, usually used is an empir-ical correlation between load and strain obtained through expensive ground tests. Some analytical studies have been conducted but simple mathematical expressions were assumed to approximate the pressure distribution. In the present study a more flexible approximation of continuous load distribution is proposed. The pressure distribution is identified based on finite number of strain data with using the conventional finite element method and pseudo-inverse matrix. Also an extension is made by coupling an aerodynamical restriction with the elastic equation. Numerical examples show that this extension improves the precision of the inverse analysis with very small number of strain data.