The aim of the AEROCHINA Specific Support Action (SSA) is to foster the cooperation between a number of industry, university and research organizations in the aeronautics sector in Europe and China in the field of mathematical modelling, computer simulation and code validation, experimental testing and design methods for the solution of multiphysics problems of interest to the aeronautic sector. The spectrum physical disciplines (coupled or not) considered in AEROCHINA which are of interest of European and Chinese partners are Aerodynamics, Structures & Materials, Fluid Dynamics, Aeroacoustics and Aero Elasticity.

The aim of the AEROCHINA Specific Support Action (SSA) is to foster the cooperation between a number of industry, university and research

1. To identify and collect state of the art information on existing mathematical models and computational methods in Europe and China for analysis of multidisciplinary problems in aeronautics. The following multiphysics fields will be preferably addressed: 1) aeroelasticity, 2) acoustics, 3) combustion and 4) fluid-atmospheric environment with particular emphasis on turbulent flows.
   
   
2. To collect state of the art information on test case problems and experimental data available in Europe and China for validation of computational methods for analysis of multidisciplinary problems in aeronautics.
   
   
3. To identify critical future joint RTD areas in Europe and China for analysis of multidisciplinary problems in aeronautics using innovative computational methods and experimental tests.
   
   
4. To disseminate within Europe and China numerical and experimental data collected.
   
   
5. To identify, specify and disseminate guidelines for validation of mathematical methods and/or numerical/ experimental techniques for multidisciplinary problems of interest to the aeronautic sector in Europe and China.
   
   
6. To advance in the initial knowledge of the participating organizations from Europe and China by means of the interchange of scientific and technical information the organization of the project meetings, the organization of a kick-off conference in Beijing, one technical meeting in China, one workshop in Europe and other dissemination activities.
   
   
7. To define a strategy for analysis and design of multidisciplinary problems in aeronautics of interest to European and Chinese industry.
   
   
8. To prepare specific RTD activities to be presented as future joint proposal in FP7.
   
   

These AEROCHINA objectives correspond to a more long term preparation necessary for substantial and sustainable cooperation in FP7 than an individual involvement of Chinese partners in IPs or STREPs projects for the last call of FP6.

The project objectives are in accordance in the conclusions of the EU-China workshop in Aeronautics held in Beijing on April 15 2005. Among others, one of the conclusions of the workshop was that "a SSA network could prove to be a very useful tool to reinforce the RTD links between China and Europe".

The project goals also reflect the experiences of some key partners in the cooperation with Chinese organizations. As an example we name the World Congress on Computational Mechanics held in Beijing on September 2005 organized by University of Peking in cooperation with CIMNE (see www.iacm.info for details) and European associations in the field.

The specific project activities will focus on:

1. Prospective studies on the existing methods for single and multiphysics simulation, experimentation and design tools in Europe and China.
   
   
2. The development of a common database incorporating the knowledge of the relevant multiphysic simulation/validation/design technology in Europe and China;
   
   
3. Identification of possible cooperation RTD areas.
   
   
4. The organization of a kick-off conference and a technical meeting in China, and one workshop in Europe in order to interchange the knowledge on the field of multiphysics simulation, validation and design.
   
   
5. The dissemination of the project outputs among universities, research centres and industries in the aeronautic sector in Europe and China.
   
   

The coupled disciplines to be considered include fluids, structures, chemistry and thermal flows with applications in aeroelasticity (flutter and fatigue), aero/vibroacoustics (noise), aeroheating (anti-icing), combustion (pollution) and turbulence (noise), among others. New experiments and modern diagnostics measurement techniques will be prospected and identified for future rigorous multi-disciplinary validation purposes. The critical multiphysics aeronautic problems to be considered include:

• Multi scale/multidiscipline study of vortex hazards at transonic regime (safer aircrafts),
• Multi scale/multidiscipline study of bang hazards (quieter aircrafts),
• Flutter validation for a large variation of mass loading (safer aircrafts),
• Interaction in supersonic and hypersonics between large structures in turbulent boundary layers and wall, for aeroelasticity, oxydation, acoustics,…(safer, cleaner and quieter aircrafts),
• Reduction of buffet generated by separation by MEMS technologies (safer aircrafts).

The starting data originates from European network projects such as PROMUVAL, FLOWnet, QNET, PIVnet, FENET and MACSINET providing computational and experimental knowledge, database tools and well web-documented CFD test cases of a single discipline. According to skills, experiences of european partners AEROCHINA will be also linked with the following RTD EU projects:

- Flow control: EUROSHOCK, AEROMEMS, EUROLIFT1 and 2,

- High Speed aircraft: HISAC,

- Simulation and Optimization: TAURUS, AEROSHAPE, FLOMANIA DESider,

- PIV Experimentation: EUROPIV, EUROWAKE,

- Wind Turbine Design: UPWIND,

- Noise prediction: ENABLE and JEAN.

A specific Web-based Communication System has been set up by CIMNE with the coordination of ACTRI for the Chinese component. This environment will include the necessary facilities for compiling and disseminating multidisciplinary analysis and test data in numerical and graphic form. The AEROCHINA Communication System will also be a day-to-day communication tool between the European and Chinese partners and the EC officers for exchanging all kind of information related to the project.

The activities in the AEROCHINA SSA open a wide range of scientific and technological prospects for future cooperation between European and Chinese organizations in the development and validation of multiphysics methods and their associated analysis and design codes. Access to state of the art information on RTD activities in China and in Europe on multidisciplinary mathematical and numerical methods opens many opportunities for the development of new and enhanced methods aiming to solve complex multiphysics problems in aeronautics, such as coupled aero-elastic-acoustic phenomena, electro-magnetic-mechanical problems, turbulent/chemistry interactions and optimal shape design accounting for multidisciplinary effects and many others. The experimental and numerical data installed and stored on databases will be of high value for verification and validation of existing and new computational and experimental procedures.

The technological prospects will derive from the new possibility of advanced design of aircraft vehicles taking into consideration many multidisciplinary effects currently not strongly accounted for in practice. The AEROCHINA Guidelines will define the strategic lines and methodologies (both numerical and experimental) to be developed in the near future for the solution of multidisciplinary problems. These guidelines will bring an added value as a basis for setting up new RTD projects to be carried out in FP7 jointly by the AEROCHINA partners and others.

The specific scope of the AEROCHINA project also fits within several aspects of the European Union policies. Improvement of the design, analysis and validation tools will help to build safer and more competitive aircrafts with improved environmental features (less noise, less pollution). Indeed producing safer airplanes is one of the targets to guarantee better protection of passengers. The enhancement of aircraft design and production is one of the key aspects for a sustainable European aerospace industry meeting the challenges and demands of the air-transport sector for the next decades.

It is also expected that the AEROCHINA Communication System and the multidisciplinary data stored will be a step forward towards the standarization of multidisciplinary data interchange procedures in the field of multidisciplinary aeronautic engineering as well as in the dissemination of data from numerical and experimental tests.

The access to new and more powerful computational methods and experimental data will increase the job opportunities among skilled engineers. A training program will be needed to introduce engineers into the new multidisciplinary tools, which invariably will lead to the creation of new jobs.

Special effort in the AEROCHINA project will be put in the training of young engineers aiming to broaden the use of the multidisciplinary data among the aeronautics sector in Europe. This will contribute to building up the "knowledge society" that the European Union is now urgently seeking to achieve.

The interaction between partners from different organizations in Europe and China (aeronautics/aerospace industries, RTD centres, universities and international associations) will lead to an exchange of ideas and personnel which will help towards making more attractive the work in these fields.

The AEROCHINA data will also find application in markets different from the aeronautic sectors that also need the computational multiphysics technologies (i.e. rotation machinery, civil construction, naval architecture, automotive industrial forming processes, etc.). Transfer of the AEROCHINA technology to these sectors through adequate training actions (i.e. seminars, courses, workshops, conferences, publications, etc.) will help to create new attractive cooperative RTD scenarios and business opportunities for cooperation between different sectors and this will also contribute to the creation of new jobs.