Author(s)

G.L. Ghiringhelli, P. Masarati & P. Mantegazza

Abstract

The structural and piezoelectric analysis of an active twist helicopter rotor blade is presented. The active twisting of rotor blades is carried out by induced-strain actuators distributed into the structure of the blade, resulting in a distributed pitch change. Active fibre composites, made of piezoelectric fibres polarised by inter digitated electrodes, are used to obtain anisotropic induced-strain actuation. The elastic, inertial and piezoelectric properties of the blade section are determined by a semianalytic formulation that accounts for the non-homogeneity and the anisotropy of the elastic and piezoelectric materials. The analysis is based on a finite element discretisation of the blade section, thus allowing the desired level of accuracy in detailing the model. The str

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