Aeroelastic Real-time Hybrid Simulation (2017 and 2018 Tests at University of Florida NHERI EF)

Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is an advanced simulation approach where physical and numerical components of a structural system are interfaced in the true real time of the physical component and which combines high-fidelity experimental tests along with cost-efficient computational simulation. This project sought to extend the scope of RTHS from nearly exclusively earthquake engineering applications to include wind engineering with the aim of harnessing the benefits of the traditional approaches of wind tunnel testing of structural models and of computational simulation while simultaneously reducing the challenges of these approaches.

The specific goals of the project were to explore the extension of RTHS to aerodynamic testing; accelerate the adoption of these newly created advanced testing techniques through their implementation at the boundary layer wind tunnel at the University of Florida Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) Experimental Facility (UF NHERI EF) and to introduce a broad spectrum of researchers to the potential benefits of aerodynamic Real-Time Hybrid Simulation (aeroRTHS).

The aeroRTHS tests were conducted in the boundary layer wind tunnel at the University of Florida NHERI Experimental Facility. Several research challenges were met to allow for RTHS to be utilized in aerodynamic/aeroelastic applications. These included actuator compensation, pressure measurement compensation, stability and robustness analysis, and limitations imposed by both the size of the computational substructure and also the type and number of input measurements. This project successfully demonstrated to the wind engineering community the ability of aeroRTHS to: (1) capture the effects of aeroelastic wind engineering problems and vibration mitigation devices in aeroelastic wind tunnel tests and (2) capture critical wind speed and fluid-structure interaction phenomenon such as vortex induced vibration.

This research was disseminated through presentations at four workshops. In addition, two full length journal manuscripts are in preparation documenting this research. All of the experimental data: the measured pressure values at 128 locations (2018 tests only), the computed single resultant force applied to the single degree of freedom numerical substructure, and the commanded displacement to the transfer system. Also, to help enable the use of aeroRTHS throughout the wind and seismic communities, a workshop at the UF NHERI EF was held in April of 2019 disseminating the findings of this project along with those of other cyber-physical projects conducted at the UF NHERI EF site. The project also documented guidelines for the equipment, software and methods needed to conduct aeroRTHS tests, suitable for use by investigators interested in employing RTHS for wind applications at the UF NHERI EF, or other wind tunnel facilities. Written documentation of both of these activities is also provided here.