Semester Award Granted

Spring 2025

Submission Date

May 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Pak-Cheung

Abstract

While single-engine failure has been considered in dual-engine tilt-rotor aircraft, more complex failures have been less investigated. This thesis will model a simultaneous powertrain and drivetrain complex failure scenario during vertical flight on a dual-engine tilt-rotor aircraft. This thesis is valuable to designers and operators, as it will simulate the aircraft's complex failure scenario and flight dynamics. Complex failure is modeled using MATLAB’s Simulink to accomplish a six degrees-of-freedom translational and rotational dynamic and kinematic free-fall model. A counter-rotating rotor system representation for the dual-engine tilt-rotor aircraft was also achieved by incorporating the rotor block in Simulink. It was discovered that it is advantageous for tilt-rotor aircraft to autorotate during a complex failure scenario by simultaneously lowering the collective in both rotors. During the initiation of the complex failure scenario at 785 ft, the aircraft experienced a -3695 ft min vertical descent rate at 9.725 seconds. The model increased the collective blade pitch angle to 2.648 degrees in both rotors at 9.725 seconds for a final -263 ft min vertical descent rate during impact. The aircraft did not roll about the longitudinal axis, as the counter-rotating rotor system remained in equilibrium.

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