Investigation of nonlinear landing gear behavior and dynamic responses on high performance aircraft

The dynamic responses simulation of aircraft as rigid body considering heave, pitch, and roll motions, coupled onto a tricycle landing gear arrangement is presented. Equation of motion for each landing gear consists of un-sprung mass vertical and longitudinal motions considering strut nonlinear stiffness and damping combined with strut bending flexibility. Initially, the nonlinear dynamic response model is subjected to an input of riding over staggered bump and the responses are compared with linear landing gear model. It is observed that aircraft dynamics and important landing gear events such as vertical, spin-up and spring-back are truly represented with nonlinear stiffness and damping model considering strut bending flexibility. Later, landing response analysis is performed, with the input from nonlinear flight mechanics model for several vertical descent rate cases. The aircraft and landing gear dynamic responses such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, and reaction forces are obtained. The vertical and longitudinal drag forces from the nonlinear dynamic response model is compared with “Book-case method” outlined in landing gear design technical specifications. From the reaction force ratio calculation, it is shown that for lower vertical descent rate case the predicted loads are lesser using nonlinear dynamic response model. The same model for higher vertical descent rate cases predicts higher ratios on vertical reaction for main landing gear and longitudinal reaction for nose landing gear, respectively. The scope for increase in fatigue life for low vertical descent rate landing covering major design spectrum and the concern for static strength and structural integrity consideration for higher vertical descent rate cases are discussed in the context of event monitoring on aircraft in services.