Various research projects are or have recently been studied in all areas of research interests indicated in a previous web page. Some of the results obtained in the recent research projects undertaken with graduate students are included in the list of selected publications (last web page).
Several research projects are available for graduate students in the following research areas and they represent a continuation of previous studies. In addition to their academic interest, these projects are of interest for the aeronautical and other engineering applications (some of the projects are related to research contracts with aeronautical companies, such as Bombardier and CAE).
Steady and unsteady aerodynamics of aeronautical configurations
Aim: To develop efficient computational methods for the solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and obtain new solutions for unsteady viscous flows in confined configurations with oscillating walls of interest for various engineering applications (such as heat exchangers, nuclear reactors, pumps, etc.).
Previous studies:
- Efficient second-order analytical solutions for airfoils in subsonic flow (including viscous effects), Click here to see Paper 2005a
- Theoretical solutions for oscillating rigid or flexible airfoils in unsteady subsonic compressible and incompressible flows, Click here to see Paper 2006a ; Paper 2003c
- Theoretical solutions for wings and wing-body systems using velocity singularities (in subsonic flows: 2003b; in supersonic flows: 1989a), Click here to see Paper 2003b
- A biased flux method (using on a finite volume formulation) for the solution of Euler equations in subsonic, transonic and supersonic flows Click here to see Paper 1995e
Unsteady confined flows with oscillating boundaries and fluid-structure interaction
Aim: To develop efficient computational methods for the solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and obtain new solutions for unsteady viscous flows in confined configurations with oscillating walls of interest for various engineering applications (such as heat exchangers, nuclear reactors, pumps, etc.).
Previous studies:
- Efficient method using artificial compressibility for the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations in unsteady viscous flows with multiple separation regions, Click here to see (Paper 2001a [.pdf])
- Computational solutions of unsteady confined viscous flows with variable inflow velocities for unsteady fluid-structure interaction problems, Click here to see (Paper 2005b [.pdf])
- Three-dimensional (3D) computational solutions for unsteady annular viscous flows with oscillating boundaries using a time-dependent coordinate transformation, Click here to see Paper 1996a
- Enhanced hybrid and collocation spectral methods for 3D unsteady viscous flows between oscillating eccentric cylinders (papers 1995b, 1994c, 1994f, 1990d) Click here to see Paper 1995a
- Experimental investigations of steady and unsteady viscous flows with oscillating boundaries (including experiments performed in collaboration with CEA Saclay, France), Click here to see Paper 2000a ; Paper 1998a
- A theoretical model compared with experiments for the unsteady pressure on a cylinder oscillating in a turbulent annular flow (Paper 1989a)
- A computational method for the dynamics of cylindrical structures subjected to annular flows by simultaneous integration of the Navier-Stokes and structural equations (papers 1992a, 1994g)
Study of aerodynamic problems of unspecified geometry
Aim: To develop efficient solutions for aerodynamic problems of unspecified geometry, such as the flows past compliant surfaces, flexible-membrane or jet-flapped airfoils and wings, nozzle design based on reflection suppression condition, design of aerodynamic surfaces for specified aerodynamic conditions such as a specified pressure distribution.
Previous studies:
- An enhanced Lagrangian method for the analysis of aerodynamic problems with geometrically unspecified boundaries, Click here to see Paper 2003a
- Analysis of flexible-membrane and jet-flapped airfoils using velocity singularities (paper 1991a)
Aerodynamics of lifting surfaces at low Reynolds numbers (low speed)
Aim: To develop computational solutions for the study of wings and airfoils at low Reynolds numbers, which are of interest for the micro-aircraft applications and unmanned air vehicles (UAV) and are dominated by viscous effects and flow separations, with few computational and experimental results available.
Previous studies:
- Low Reynolds number aerodynamics of airfoils at incidence, Click here to see Paper 2005d
- Aerodynamic analysis of symmetric airfoils at very low Reynolds numbers (paper published in 2004a)
Study of aerodynamic interferences
Aim: To develop efficient solutions for the study of aerodynamic interferences, such as the steady and unsteady flows past wings and airfoils in the proximity of the ground, the effect of the wind tunnel walls, wing and tail interference, etc.
Specific studies:
- Airfoil flow analysis in the presence of the ground (M. Eng. research thesis – 2005/06)
- Unsteady aerodynamics of oscillating airfoils and wings in the proximity of the ground (in progress; CRIAQ research contract with CAE)
Study of aeroelastic oscillations of wing structures
Aim: To develop efficient solutions for the aeroelastic oscillations of wing structures with piezoelectric strips acting as sensors and actuators, in order to prevent the aeroelastic instabilities and to detect the existence of cracks in the structures (for structural health monitoring).
Specific studies:
- Analysis of aeroelastic oscillations of wings with piezoelectric actuator strips, (paper 2000c)
- Analysis of oscillating wing structures with piezoelectric sensor and actuator strips for crack detection (in progress; CRIAQ research contract with Bombardier Aerospace; preliminary results published in paper 2005c)
Other projects related to aerospace and other engineering applications
- Optimal atmospheric trajectory for space missions with aero-gravity assist (papers 1994e, 1995c, 1995l, 1996b, 1997a)
- Theoretical and experimental studies on flow-induced vibrations and instabilities in confined annular flows (papers published between 1985 and 1994, including research contract reports for CEA – Saclay, France and EDF – Chatou, France)
Titles of recent research theses of students graduated in the last two academic years
- Study of unsteady viscous flows generated by variable inflow velocities, 2005/06
- Unsteady compressible flows past oscillating airfoils, 2005/06
- Airfoil flow analysis in the presence of the ground, 2005/06
- Detection of cracks in aircraft structures using piezoelectric sensors, 2005/06
- Theoretical and computational analysis of airfoils in steady and unsteady flows, 2004/05
- A numerical method for viscous compressible fluid flows, 2004/05
- Airfoil aerodynamics based on velocity singularities, 2004/05
- Aerodynamic analysis of finite-span wings, 2004/05
Laboratory facilities
Aerodynamics Laboratory and Fluid-Structure Interaction Laboratory