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Numerical Analysis of Load Reduction in the Gliding Process Achieved by the Bionic Swan's Webbed-Foot Structures
Fukui Gao1,2, Xiyan Liu1,2, Xinlin Li3
1Aerospace Tecnology Institude, China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center, Mianyang 621000, China.
Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 25, 2025
Summary
Swans
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Fluid Dynamics
- Robotics
Background:
- Large waterfowls like swans use webbed-foot gliding for low-impact water landings.
- This natural strategy offers potential for designing cross-medium vehicles (CMVs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze hydrodynamic mechanisms of swan webbed-foot gliding water entry.
- To investigate the effects of entry parameters on dynamic performance for bio-inspired designs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) coupled with global motion mesh (GMM) technology.
- Simulated a 3D bionic webbed-foot water-entry process.
Main Results:
- Identified two phases: stable skipping and surface gliding.
- Entry velocity and angle significantly affect impact loads, skipping dynamics, and stability.
- An optimal pitch angle of 20° ensures maximum glide-skip stability.
Conclusions:
- Webbed-foot gliding provides valuable insights for CMV water-entry systems.
- The study advances optimization of impact-mitigation in gliding water-entry designs.
