Thermal flutter characteristics comparison between flat and curved composite panels

A comparison of thermal flutter characteristics between flat and curved composite panels was presented. Three layup types were introduced to form laminated panels modeled with finite element method (FEM). The nonlinear static analysis was firstly implemented to evaluate thermal effect on structural stiffness and high supersonic flutter analysis was then performed on the panel with the updated rigidity. The second order piston theory was employed to represent high supersonic aerodynamics and the flutter speed was predicted with PK method. It was found that the flutter speed of the heated panels decreases linearly with temperature increasing; this decreasing rate is less for quasi-isotropic laminated panels compared with that for orthotropic laminated ones in the case of curved panels; whereas the flat panel case is on the contrary. The results showed that flutter modes of curved panels are strongly dependent on the layup type; however, flutter modes of flat panels keep consistent.