Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T04:37:50.306Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Optimum design of composite stiffened wing panels — a parametric study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

R. Butler
R. Butler*
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Bath, Bath, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The program VICONOPT is used to find the optimum (least mass) dimensions of a range of stiffened wing panels which are subject to buckling and material strength constraints and are loaded in axial compression with a sinusoidal manufacturing imperfection. Design plots are presented to show the effects that various rib spacings and stiffener types have on optimum design mass. A simplified model of a complete wing box is used to illustrate the design of a full wing panel and plots of optimum values of design variables at various stations along the wing have been obtained. The results were chosen to illustrate the practicality of optimisation with reference to manufacture of a full wing panel and to show the effect of changing the sophistication of modelling and theory used for the range of panels considered. The important aspects of the choice of design variables and design concepts are highlighted and percentage savings in mass, compared with an optimum metal panel design, are given for the various (global) optima found along with some examples of (rejected) local optima.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 99 , Issue 985 , May 1995 , pp. 169 - 177
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1995 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Emero, D.H., and Spunt, L. Optimisation of multirib and multiweb wing box structures under shear and moment load, AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, 1965, pp 330–353.Google Scholar
2. Bartholomew, P. and Wellen, H.K. Computer-aided optimisation of aircraft structures, J Aircraft, 1990, 27, (12), pp 1079–1086.Google Scholar
3. Arendson, P. and Wiooenraad, J.F.M. PANOPT user manual, NLR-Report CR 91255L, National Aerospace Laboratory, Amsterdam, 1991.Google Scholar
4. Bushnell, D. PANDA2 — program for minimum weight design of stiffened, composite, locally buckled panels, Comput Struct, 1986, 25, (4), pp 469–605.Google Scholar
5. Anderson, M.S. and Stroud, W.J. General panel sizing computer code and its application to composite structural panels, AIAA J, 1979, 17, (8), pp 892–897.Google Scholar
6. Bartholomew, P., Harris, J. and Wellen, H. The integration of local design of composite panels into overall structural design, 5th AIAA/USAF/NASA/ISSMO Symposium on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimisation, Panama City, Florida, 1994, AIAA Paper 94-4354-CP, pp 957–965.Google Scholar
7. Rohl, P.J., Mavris, D.N. and Schraoe, D.P. A multilevel wing design procedure centred on the ASTROS structural optimisation system, 5th AIAA/USAF/NASA/ISSMO Symposium on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimisation, Panama City, Florida, 1994, AIAA Paper 94-4411-CP, pp 1377–1387.Google Scholar
8. Bushnell, D. and Bushnell, W.D. Minimum weight design of a stiffened panel via PANDA2 and evaluation of the optimised panel via STAGS, Comput Struct, 1994, 50, (4), pp 569–602.Google Scholar
9. Bushnell, D. Truss-core sandwich design via PANDA2, Comput Struct, 1992, 44, (5), pp 1091–1119.Google Scholar
10. Berkes, U.L. Efficient optimisation of aircraft structures with a large number of design variables, J Aircraft, 1990, 27, (12), pp 1073–1078.Google Scholar
11. Starnes, J.H. Jr and Haftka, R.T. Preliminary design of composite wings for buckling, strength, and displacement constraints, J Aircraft, 1979, 16, (8), pp 564–570.Google Scholar
12. Williams, F.W., Kennedy, D., Butler, R. and Anderson, M.S. VICONOPT: program for exact vibration and buckling analysis or design of prismatic plate assemblies, AIAA J, 1991, 29, (11), pp 1927–1928.Google Scholar
13. Butler, R. and Williams, F.W. Optimum design using VICONOPT, a buckling and strength constraint program for prismatic assemblies of anisotropic plates, Comput Struct, 1992, 43, (4), pp 699–708.Google Scholar
14. Butler, R., Tyler, A.A. and Cao, W. Optimum design and evaluation of stiffened panels with practical loading, Comput Struct, 1994, 52, (6), pp 1107–1118.Google Scholar
15. Vanderplaats, G.N. CONMIN — a FORTRAN program for constrained function minimisation, NASA TM-X-62-282, 1973. See also Vanderplaats, G.N. and Moses, F. Structural optimisation by methods of feasible directions, Comput Struct, 1973, 3, pp 739–755.Google Scholar
16. Anderson, M.S. and Kennedy, D. Inclusion of transverse shear deformation in exact buckling and vibration analysis of composite plate assemblies, 33rd AIAA/ASME/ASCHE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, Dallas, Texas, 1992, AIAA Paper 92-2287-CP, pp 283–291.Google Scholar
17. Butler, R. and Williams, F.W. Optimum buckling design of compression panels using VICONOPT, Struct Optim, 1993, 6, (3), pp 160–165.Google Scholar