Determining hinge moments of the main landing gear fuselage door by means of numerical flow simulation

Abstract: Computational fluid dynamics is employed to evaluate the mean aerodynamic loading on the retractable landing-gears of a regional transport commercial aircraft. The mean turbulent flow around simplified landing-gear systems including doors is simulated by using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes approach, where the governing equations are solved with a finite volume-based numerical method. Using a dynamic meshing method, the computational grid is automatically and continuously adapted to the time-changing geometry, while following the extension/retraction of the landing-gear systems. The temporal evolution of the aerodynamic forces on both the nose and the main landing-gears, along with the hinge moments of the doors, is numerically predicted. The proposed computational modeling approach is verified to have good practical potential when compared with reference experimental data provided by the Leonardo Aircraft structural loads group.

Abstract: CFD analysis is carried out to evaluate the mean aerodynamic loads on the retractable main landing-gear of a regional transport commercial aircraft. The mean flow around the landing-gear system including doors is simulated by using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes modelling approach, the governing equations being solved with a finite volume-based numerical technique. The computational grid is automatically adapted to the time-changing geometry by means of a dynamic meshing technique, while following the deployment of the landing-gear system. The present computational modelling approach is verified to have good practical potential by making a comparison with reference experimental data provided by the Leonardo Aircraft Company aerodynamicists.