Efficient Computation of Real-Time Distorted Conformal Load-Bearing Antenna Structure under Dynamic Mechanical Load Based on Modal Superposition

Conformal load-bearing antenna structure (CLAS) is an antenna that is integrated into the mechanical structure. It can endure external environmental dynamic loads directly. Deformation of the CLAS resulting from dynamic mechanical load leads to electromagnetic (EM) performance changing in real time. In this paper, an efficient computational method for the EM performance of real-time distorted CLAS is presented. It is based on the modal superposition method. In the electromechanical coupling model of distorted CLAS, the structure deformation is replaced with mode matrix times the modal coordinate vector. The far-field pattern of distorted CLAS is expressed as the combination of the structure-related terms and load-related term by math deduction. For a specific CLAS, the real-time far-field pattern can be obtained only when the dynamic mechanical load is known, and it is needless to get deformation through the structural transient analysis in ANSYS. Furthermore, two simulation experiments are carried out on a CLAS model with a microstrip patch under dynamic mechanical load. The numerical results show that the presented method is efficient and valid compared with the conventional method.