High-Performance Computing System for Real-Time Analysis of Rotorcraft Aeromechanics

We propose to develop a high-performance computational facility that can enable real-timecalculation of the complex aerodynamic interactions between ship and helicopter airwakes, withthe goal of integrating these calculations into real-time piloted simulations of rotorcraft in theshipboard environment. The system will provide the highest possible modeling fidelity for realtimesimulations of flight dynamics and control, coupled aerodynamics, and acoustics for cockpitand on-deck observers. Such a facility requires fully-dedicated hardware with a unique balance ofcomponents, and it will interface with an advanced motion-platform flight-simulation facility forsea-based operations of rotorcraft. The dedicated computational facility consists of state-of-the-artmulti-core computing nodes for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of rotorcraftoperating in ship airwakes. The hardware architecture of the computing system allows for multifidelityone-way/two-way coupled CFD ranging from real-time to high-resolution analyses withrotorcraft modeled as actuator disks (AD) or actuator lines (AL) in an Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) or Large Eddy Simulation (LES) solver, capable of includingthe effects of atmospheric turbulence. The computing system further includes dedicated graphicalprocessing units (GPUs) for in-situ flow visualization and rotorcraft acoustic response. High-speedcomputer-networking is realized by InfiniBand; data processing and storage via redundant arrayof independent drives (RAID) and high-performance internal solid-state drives (SSD). Thisdedicated facility is to be used for current research and education under the Sea-Based AviationNational Naval Responsibility program in the Office of Naval Research (Code 351) and futureresearch and research-related education relevant to the Department of Defense (DoD) such asvehicle integrated analysis technologies, atmospheric modeling, and decision aids in the ArmyResearch Office (ARO), and dynamics and control as well as human performance in the Air ForceOffice of Scientific Research (AFOSR).