Efficacy of Active Flow Control in Suppression of Wing Rock in Blended-Wing-Body Configurations

Tahir M. N., MAQSOOD A., Zafar M. I., Xie D.

JOURNAL OF AIRCRAFT, vol.63, no.3, pp.885-904, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 63 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.2514/1.c038034
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF AIRCRAFT
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Applied Science & Technology Source, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
  • Page Numbers: pp.885-904
  • Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Blended-wing-body (BWB) has emerged as a potential concept to replace the traditional tube and wing (TAW) configuration. As with traditional flying wings, the BWB is prone to the wing-rock phenomenon but with a different triggering mechanism, which causes significant flight stability and control challenges. This paper aims to investigate the wing-rock characteristics of a BWB unmanned combat aerial vehicle and further evaluate the efficacy of active flow control techniques for its suppression. A validated computational framework has been developed based on rigid-body single-degree-of-freedom (single-DOF) dynamic mesh motion and forced roll sliding mesh motion employing the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Free-to-roll simulations have predicted the onset angle of attack and various wing-rock characteristics. Jet blowing was influential in suppressing wing-rock amplitude and mean roll angles within a specific range of angles of attack, after which its momentum coefficient has to be increased. Liutex-based flow analysis revealed complex tip-separated flow interactions and the coalescence of multiple vortex systems as the primary causes of wing-rock initiation. The developed framework can be extended to multi-DOF analyses, flow-adaptive blowing, or to investigate other dynamic instabilities.