Uncertainty Quantification in Helicopter Performance Using Monte Carlo Simulations

Siva, C and Murugan, MS and Ganguli, Ranjan (2011) Uncertainty Quantification in Helicopter Performance Using Monte Carlo Simulations. In: Journal of Aircraft, 48 (5). pp. 1503-1511.

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Abstract

The effect of structural and aerodynamic uncertainties on the performance predictions of a helicopter is investigated. An aerodynamic model based on blade element and momentum theory is used to predict the helicopter performance. The aeroelastic parameters, such as blade chord, rotor radius, two-dimensional lift-curve slope, blade profile drag coefficient, rotor angular velocity, blade pitch angle, and blade twist rate per radius of the rotor, are considered as random variables. The propagation of these uncertainties to the performance parameters, such as thrust coefficient and power coefficient, are studied using Monte Carlo Simulations. The simulations are performed with 100,000 samples of structural and aerodynamic uncertain variables with a coefficient of variation ranging from 1 to 5%. The scatter in power predictions in hover, axial climb, and forward flight for the untwisted and linearly twisted blades is studied. It is found that about 20-25% excess power can be required by the helicopter relative to the determination predictions due to uncertainties.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal of Aircraft
Publisher:	American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Aerospace Engineering(Formerly Aeronautical Engineering)
Date Deposited:	07 Dec 2011 06:47
Last Modified:	07 Dec 2011 06:47
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/42541

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