Nonlinear Aeroelastic Analysis of the HIAD TPS Coupon in the NASA 8' High Temperature Tunnel: Theory and Experiment

The purpose of this work is to develop a set of theoretical and experimental techniques to characterize the aeroelasticity of the thermal protection system (TPS) on the NASA Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD). A square TPS coupon experiences trailing edge oscillatory behavior during experimental testing in the 8' High Temperature Tunnel (HTT), which may indicate the presence of aeroelastic flutter. Several theoretical aeroelastic models have been developed, each corresponding to a different experimental test configuration. Von Karman large deflection theory is used for the plate-like components of the TPS, along with piston theory for the aerodynamics. The constraints between the individual TPS layers and the presence of a unidirectional foundation at the back of the coupon are included by developing the necessary energy expressions and using the Rayleigh Ritz method to derive the nonlinear equations of motion. Free vibrations and limit cycle oscillations are computed and the frequencies and amplitudes are compared with accelerometer and photogrammetry data from the experiments.