Multi-material 3D-printing can enable the fabrication of low-cost aeroelastic demonstrators with both conventional and biologically-inspired topologies. To realize and analyze these multiphysics-driven topologies, an analysis-centric geometric framework has been leveraged, namely the Computational Aircraft Prototype Syntheses. This framework enables the efficient exploration of a low-parameter-order morphing control surface, the Spined Control Surface. The topology of the control surface consists of curving, stiff "spines" that propagate along algorithmically-generated paths in a parametrically-defined vector field within a bounding box that marks the extent of the control surface on the planform. The spaces between these spines are spanned by softer material that provide both chordwise and spanwise stiffness coupling between the spines. The resultant control surface, realized in this case by multi-material 3D-printing and actuated by Macro-Fiber Composites, can create variations in both spanwise and chordwise deflection including smooth bending to ostensibly improve aerodynamic performance. The current work then comparatively evaluates the performance of several cases of a trailing edge control surface under aerodynamic loading. To determine relevant loading conditions, the control surface is implemented on a 3D-printed flying-wing flutter model. By scribing a desired location on the planform, componentized fluid-structure coupling for performance evaluation is achieved. The results demonstrate this methodology as an enabler for rapid design iteration via loosely couple aeroelastic analysis, with generalized, conservative load and displacement data transfer. The generality of this methodology is also demonstrated via application to leading-edge control surface showing similar deflections, indicating the ease of comparative analysis between leading and trailing edge control surfaces.
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