Loads attenuation using compliant surfaces

The efficacy of compliant surfaces for load alleviation during aircraft manoeuvres or in turbulent gusts was investigated. A rectangular wing with a NACA0012 profile and a semi aspect-ratio of sAR = 5 was tested in a wind tunnel at a chord Reynolds number of 300,000 by means of lift, drag, wing root bending moment, flow fields, and compliant surface deformation measurements. The compliant surfaces with both ends fixed on the suction surface near the leading edge formed a hump which acted like ri