Modeling the effect of piezoeletric actuation in controlling structural flutter

In recent years, the use of actuated piezoeelectric-based control of teh dynamic characteristics of structures has burgeoned. Traditionally, the wing flutter problem (and other aeroelasticity phenomena) was treated in the design stages via altering the stiffness of the structures, the mass distribution and the position of the flexural axes. The process outcome is an operational boundary (such as the flutter critical speed) that limits the operation of the aircraft in order to prevent catastrophic structure failure.