Random-dot pressure-sensitive paint for time-resolved measurement of deformation and surface pressure of transonic wing flutter

Combined measurement of shape and aerodynamic force is effective for understanding the mechanism of transonic wing flutter. To explore one method, a random-dot pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) was applied to the time-resolved global measurement of the deformation and pressure field of a transonic flow over an airfoil. The random-dot PSP has a patterned texture with luminescence intensity, which is made by intentional photodegradation of a PSP dye. These dots allow simultaneous measurement of pressure and the surface profile of the airfoil using stereo-digital image correlation. The feasibility of the random-dot PSP was tested in a transonic wind tunnel using a three-dimensional backswept wing model, which started to flutter at Mach 0.89 with a dominant frequency of 100 Hz. The unsteady surface profile and pressure distribution of the airfoil were measured using 12-bit high-speed cameras as the deformation amplitude increased. The experimental results indicate that the deformation and surface pressure distribution during flutter were successfully measured over time. The accuracy of the measured deformations and pressures was evaluated by comparison with several point data obtained with a laser displacement meter and semiconductor pressure transducers. The accuracy at each time-resolved image obtained at a recording rate of 6.25 kHz was within 1 mm for displacement and about 1 kPa for pressure.