An upper limb musculoskeletal model using bond graphs for rotorcraft-pilot couplings analysis

Abstract

Under certain flight conditions, a rotorcraft fuselage motions and vibrations might interact with its pilot voluntary and involuntary actions leading to potentially dangerous dynamic instabilities known as rotorcraft-pilot couplings (RPCs). A better understanding of this phenomenon could be achieved by being able to reproduce the phenomenon during simulations. Design guidelines could be then obtained at an early stage of development of rotorcrafts improving flight safety for pilots and passengers. In this work, an upper limb musculoskeletal model using bond graphs is presented. It is then integrated in a larger aeroelastic rotorcraft bond graph model that allows simulating pilot-rotor-fuselage couplings under several flight conditions. Simulations are performed and compared to literature’s models and experimental data.