Prediction of Rotor Loads from Fuselage Sensors for Improved Structural Modeling and Fatigue Life Calculation

ATA Engineering and researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology will develop a framework for the accurate reconstruction of rotor loads from a suite of fixed-frame fuselage sensors that are utilized to augment physics-based simulations. The loads reconstruction framework will consist of two modules: the physics module, which provides first-principles predictions from simulations, and the sensor augmentation module, which combines virtual sensor data from the physics module with physical in-flight sensor measurements to improve the correlation. The sensor augmentation module, to be developed from an iterative confluence algorithm that will update the simulation model based on the difference between virtual sensors and measured data, will be capable of resolving nonlinear effects. The physics module will include a physics-based simulation (built from a tightly coupled comprehensive solver), a finite element analysis code, and an optional fast aerodynamic rotor wake code. Together, the loads reconstruction framework will improve correlation between simulation and measurement, enabling full dynamic response reconstruction for fatigue prediction. In Phase I, the feasibility of the approach will be investigated by testing the predictive capability on high-fidelity simulations and by comparing results with flight test data. Finally, the team will investigate optimal sensor selection to improve correlation.