DLR Portal
Home|Sitemap|Contact|Accessibility Imprint and terms of use Privacy Cookies & Tracking |Deutsch
You are here: Home:Departments:High-Performance Computing:Software by the department for High-Performance Computing
Advanced Search
News
Institute
Departments
High-Performance Computing
Research groups
Projects of the department for High-Performance Computing
Software by the department for High-Performance Computing
Distributed Systems and Component Software
Software for Space Systems and Interactive Visualization
Activities
Projects
Software
Publications
Offers
How to get to us
Print

Versatile Aeromechanic Simulation Tool (VAST)



Visualization of the rotor wake of a helicopter during fast forward flight. Image: DLR SC-HPC.

The Versatile Aeromechanic Simulation Tool (VAST) is a multi-physics multi-model simulation tool for helicopter aeromechanics. VAST is developed by the helicopter department of the Institute for Flight Systems in Brunswick and by the HPC department of Simulation and Software Technology in Cologne. Its development started in June 2016 within the framework of the DLR Project VicToria.

VAST’s goal is to simulate and analyse the behaviour of helicopters and wind turbines with a focus on the dynamic behaviour for instance of the free-flying helicopter. However, the simulation framework, such as the simulation core, the employed numerical methods or the user interface, is developed to be suitable for general multi-model simulations. The very general applicability of VAST is supported by a software architecture that strictly distinguishes between the simulation framework and the actual implementation of physics.

Interaction of the tail rotor wake with the main rotor wake. Image: DLR SC-HPC.

The physical model is treated by a modular approach that also allows for great flexibility: We divide the simulation problem into different disciplines and further into separate models which are then connected and simulated in a coupled fashion with each other. All models are formulated in a generic state-space-form with input, output and state variables.

The department for High-Perfomance Computing supports the professional software development of VAST and ensures the software’s parallel performance. In particular, we are dedicated to the co-design of numerical algorithms and software to enable simulations that are stable, efficient and reliable.


Related Topics
Aerodynamic
Copyright © 2023 German Aerospace Center (DLR). All rights reserved.