The aim of current aircraft developments is to reduce noise and exhaust emissions, improve performance – in particular with regards to reducing fuel consumption – and to increase safety and passenger comfort. This applies to traditional aircraft configurations as well as to the design of new innovative concepts. Aeroelastic effects influence aircraft design at several stages of the development and approval process. This includes questions regarding the effectiveness of control surfaces and determination of aeroelastic stability, divergence speed and flutter boundary. In addition to these, the static and dynamic loads acting on the aircraft are also of great importance for the design.
The work being conducted by the Institute of Aeroelasticity on the structural dynamics and unsteady aerodynamics of aircraft is listed below, together with activities involving the aeroelastic stability and load analysis of aircraft.