Projection-free proper orthogonal decomposition method for a cantilever plate in supersonic flow

This paper explores the use of the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method for supersonic nonlinear flutter of a cantilever plate or wing. The aeroelastic equations are constructed using von Karman plate theory and first-order piston theory. The two-dimensional POD modes (POMs) in xy plane are determined from the chaotic results given by the traditional Rayleigh–Ritz (RR) approach. For a specific structure, the POMs need to be calculated once and then can be used for various parameters of interest. The derivatives of the POMs are calculated numerically to avoid the complex projection from the POMs to the Rayleigh–Ritz modes (RRMs). Numerical examples demonstrate that the POD method using 4 POMs can obtain accurate limit cycle oscillation (LCO) results with substantial computational cost savings, compared with 12 RRMs by the Rayleigh–Ritz method. The POD method is employed for the analysis of the chaotic oscillations. It is also demonstrated that the POD modes are robust over a range of flight parameters.