Reference Number: ARL-SRP-00086
Project Description
The ARL Flight Sciences Branch Aerodynamic research area involves the study of aerodynamic flow phenomena of both guided and unguided munitions (e.g., projectiles and missiles) to determine how they affect aerodynamic forces and moments and aerodynamic heating. For both unguided and guided flight, research involves detailed computational analysis of wake flows, shock-boundary layer interactions, vortex interactions and vortex-shock interactions across subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flight regimes for both improved understanding of the physics and prediction accuracy. For guided flight, research involves investigation of control effectors, both traditional (fins, flaps, canards) and non-traditional (pins, bent noses), to increase maneuverability across flight regimes. Aerodynamic research makes significant use of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) tools including Euler, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS), hybrid RANS/Large Eddy Simulation (LES), and LES and leverages our on-site free-flight ranges for experimental validation, including heat transfer. Coupled CFD/six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) rigid body dynamics (RBD) models are also used, as needed, to understand the flight of complex projectiles.
The specific computational or experimental project will be based on a subset of the research described at a level appropriate to the applicant. A basic knowledge of high Reynolds number aerodynamics is preferred. Investigation of surrogate modeling as a rapid design tool has just begun and could also be an area of focus.
Technical Skills
- Aerospace Engineering
- Computer Modeling/Simulation
- Preferred skills: Computational Fluid Dynamics, Python or Matlab, high Reynolds number aerodynamics
