Advances in Adaptive Wall Wind Tunnel Technique

Abstract

A brief outline is given of the adaptive wall concept. The research projects on this subject-carried out during the past ten years in the United States and Western Europe-are reviewed. The work done hereto at the Technical University of Berlin is discussed in some detail. It includes comprehensive tests of aerofoils in a tunnel with two flexible walls as well as tests of three-dimensional models in a tunnel with eight flexible walls. First complete wall adaptations for a lifting wing-body configuration were accomplished, giving evidence of the feasibility of the adaptive wall concept for 3D-model tests.