TsAGI Takes Part in Conference on SibNIA's 80-Year Anniversary
1 November 2021
TsAGI (a part of NRC “Zhukovsky Institute”) participated in SibNIA-2021 International Research-and-Technology Conference. Devoted to SibNIA’s
Aleksandr Medvedsky, TsAGI First Deputy Director General, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, gave a congratulatory speech to the SibNIA team on behalf of TsAGI. He also delivered a report, The World-Class Research Center (WCRC) “Supersonic”: An Impulse for Developing Research Capabilities of Russian Aircraft Industry. The scientist spoke on the WCRC’s fundamental tasks, and on the milestone achievements by the Center’s laboratories: Aerodynamics and concept design of low-sonic-boom aircraft, Aeroacoustics and vibrations, Strength and smart structures, Gas dynamics and power plants, and Artificial intelligence and flight safety.
‘The new-generation supersonic transport is fundamentally different from the contemporary supersonic aircraft because of its lowest possible environmental footprint. Achieving this requires research, development and multidisciplinary elaboration of revolutionary technical solutions and technologies related to aerodynamic configuration, propulsion, structural design, control system, etc. And today we are successfully working on these tasks within the Program of the WCRC “Supersonic” Establishment and Development’, said Aleksandr Medvedsky.
Andrey Sviridov, TsAGI Chief Researcher for Aircraft Structural Life, TsAGI, delivered a report at the Session for Aircraft Static, Thermal and Fatigue Strength. Co-authored by A. Pankov, V. Senik and V. Basov, the report focused on researching fatigue performance of contemporary aluminum alloys.
According to the specialist, the recent years have seen the urgent need to reduce the period for aircraft technology certification tests, in particular, for the state-of-the-art materials used in aircraft structures. These processes may be accelerated by increasing load frequency for a tested sample.
‘However, our studies have shown that increased load frequency for the samples causes a significant overestimate in the material’s fatigue performance, and consequently, a decrease in airplane-type airframe operational safety. The fatigue curves obtained during the tests can be used for predicting and evaluating the durability of rotorcraft structural units,’ said A. Sviridov.
Furthermore, a comparative study of elementary samples manufactured by different plants allowed for expanding the number of enterprises whose production facilities may be permitted to manufacture samples for certification tests. This will allow for quicker commissioning of new aircraft technologies, the scientists say.
The SibNIA’s anniversary conference also included representatives from Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics SB RAS, Lavrentyev Institute of Hydrodynamics SB RAS, Novosibirsk State Technical University, Novosibirsk Aviation Technical College named after B.S. Galuschak, etc. The scientists’ reports considered aerodynamics and dynamics of aircraft flight, methods of aerophysical experiment, strength, thermal state, technology for aircraft creation, etc.
SibNIA, or the Siberian Aeronautical Research Institute named after S.A. Chaplygin, was established in August 1941 as the-then second branch of TsAGI in the Eastern Soviet Union. Its establishment was primarily aimed at maintaining the Institute’s test facilities and at providing seamless research into the aerodynamics and strength of warplanes. A group of TsAGI scientists was headed by Sergei A. Chaplygin—a founder of aeromechanics and aerodynamics, Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and Hero of Socialist Labor.
Initially, the Siberians were provided with all the required test methods, equipment samples and tools, including a balance for the T-203 wind tunnel. Li-2 aircraft model was the first object tested in T-203. After the war, from 1946, SibNIA started its work as an independent institution. Later, in the 1950s, it mastered the research related to aircraft structural tests for static and fatigue loads.
So far, SibNIA’s Department for Aerodynamics has performed calculations and tests for over two thousand aircraft models; its Departments for Aircraft Structural Strength has tested more than 170 aircraft, and 180 aircraft units were tested on special benches.
Apart from that, it has done frequency tests for over 210 aircraft; the wind tunnel was used to test over 200 models for flutter, divergence and aileron reversal. 910 units and elements were tested for vibration resistance and vibroacoustics; approximately 500 landing gear legs were tested for wobbling and dynamic drop testing.
Today, TsAGI and SibNIA closely cooperate in a number of areas, including research into composites, joint work on continuous monitoring of aircraft structures under operation, interaction related to training the future candidates and doctors of sciences, holding national and international conferences, etc. Regular experience exchange and true friendship in the scientific community provides constant progress, new ideas and creation of advanced aircraft technologies.