Sensitivity of Aerodynamic Characteristics of Paraglider Wing to Properties of Covering Material

Abstract The paper is theoretically oriented. The main goal is to analyze the sensitivity of aerodynamic characteristics to the properties of the material used for paraglider wing. The paraglider of considerable dimensions is designed without stiffening elements. Thus, the covering material yields adequate pressure distribution between the external and internal parts of the wing. The problem is solved using a geometrical model approximated by the dimensionless coordinates of crucial points and smoothed by spline curves. The finite volume mesh is defined using the Ansys Meshing program. Numerical analysis uses five different covering materials, ranging from the air-impermeable covering to the covering subjected to hydrolytic—mechanical degradation. Optimization of properties of the covering material improves the lift force and the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing. Moreover, numerical modeling is more beneficial and efficient than prototype tests. The obtained pressure distributions and other parameters explain the aerodynamic safety of the paraglider during dynamic conditions of flight.