  The aim of this work is to study the dynamics and stability of soft
shape-morphing configurations and specifically the modes of interaction between
the front and rear airfoil segments. Initially we present several steady-state
solutions, such as canceling of deflection due to aerodynamic forces and
transition between two predefined cambers via continuous actuation of the
airfoil. The steady results are validated by numerical calculations based on
commercially available software. We then examine stability and transient
dynamics by assuming small deflections and applying multiple-scale analysis to
obtain a stability condition. The condition is attained via the compatibility
equations of the orthogonal spatial modes of the first-order correction. The
results yield the maximal stable speed as a function of elastic damping, fluid
density and location of clamping. The results show that the interaction between
the front and rear segments is the dominant mechanism for instability for
various discrete locations of clamping. Instabilities due to interaction
dynamics between the front and rear segments become more significant as the
location of clamping approaches the leading edge. Several transient dynamics
are presented for stable and unstable configurations, as well as instability
dynamics initiated by cyclic actuation at the natural frequency of the airfoil.
