Shape memory alloy actuators for in-flight tracking of helicopter rotor blades

Jeanette J. Epps; Inderjit Chopra

doi:10.1117/12.316904

27 July 1998 Shape memory alloy actuators for in-flight tracking of helicopter rotor blades

Jeanette J. Epps, Inderjit Chopra

Proceedings Volume 3329, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316904
Event: 5th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

This paper examines, analytically and experimentally, a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuator to be used for in- flight tracking of helicopter rotor blades. The recovery characteristics of SMA's are utilized to detect a trailing edge trim tab. Conceptually, the tab is deflected using SMA wires with initial pre-strains, and any differential recovery displacement due to a thermal field is transformed into an angular motion of the tab. A 1D thermo-mechanical constitutive model is used to predict the constrained recovery characteristics of SMA's and predicted results are validated with measured values. Good correlation between measured and predicted values is obtained.

Citation Download Citation

Jeanette J. Epps and Inderjit Chopra "Shape memory alloy actuators for in-flight tracking of helicopter rotor blades", Proc. SPIE 3329, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems, (27 July 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316904

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