RESPONSE, LOADS AND STABILITY OF ROTORS WITH INTERCONNECTED BLADES

An isolated rotor with blades interconnected through viscoelastic elem ents is analyzed for response, loads and stability in moment trim unde r forward flight conditions. A conceptual model of a multibladed rotor with rigid flap and lag motions is considered, Although the interconn ecting elements are placed in the In-plane direction, considerable cou pling between the flap-lag motions of the blades can occur in certain ranges of interblade element stiffness. Interblade coupling can yield significant changes in the response, loads and stability which are dep endent on the interblade element and rotor parameters.