Reconfigurable aircraft are capable of in-flight shape change to increase mission performance or provide multimission capability. This paper examines a fundamental issue raised by aircraft reconfigurability: design of an optimal, lightweight structure to support all of the loads experienced by each configuration. This paper reviews current methods used to design such structures and shows that simultaneous optimization can produce a lower-weight structure than other techniques. The developed optimization routine combines simultaneous optimization with a method based on Liang’s performance-based optimization for determining the optimum location of the structural members of the substructure. An overpopulated finite-element model serves as a starting point. The initial set of structural members includes ribs, spars, and a series of cross members that diagonally connect the ribs and spars. Using an iterative process, the optimization routine removes members from the design if they do not carry enough load to justify their presence. The final result is an optimized structure that displays the primary load paths and serves as the baseline for the next stages of detailed design.


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    Title :

    Simultaneous Configuration Optimization of Multistate Reconfigurable Aerostructures


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Journal of Aircraft ; 51 , 3 ; 727-739


    Publication date :

    2014-05-01




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





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