TY - JOUR

T1 - Structural Design Optimization of a Tiltrotor Aircraft Composite Wing to Enhance Whirl Flutter Stability

A1 - Kim,Taeseong

A1 - Kim,Jaehoon

A1 - Shin,Sang Joon

A1 - Kom,Do-Hyung

AU - Kim,Taeseong

AU - Kim,Jaehoon

AU - Shin,Sang Joon

AU - Kom,Do-Hyung

PB - Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - In order to enhance the aeroelastic stability of a tiltrotor aircraft, a structural optimization framework is developed by applying a multi-level optimization approach. Each optimization level is designed to achieve a different purpose; therefore, relevant optimization schemes are selected for each level. Enhancement of the aeroelastic stability is selected as an objective in the upper-level optimization. This is achieved by seeking the optimal structural properties of a composite wing, including its mass, vertical, chordwise, and torsional stiffness. In the upper-level optimization, the response surface method (RSM), is selected. On the other hand, lower-level optimization seeks to determine the local detailed cross-sectional parameters, such as the ply orientation angles and ply thickness, which are relevant to the wing structural properties obtained at the upper-level. To avoid manufacturing difficulties, only a few discrete ply orientation angles and an integral number of plies are considered as constraints. A genetic algorithm is selected as the optimizer at the lower-level. Use of the upper-level optimization causes a 13-18% increase in the flutter speed when compared to the baseline configuration. In the lower-level optimization, the optimization results were obtained considering the resulting failure margin and the location of the shear center.

AB - In order to enhance the aeroelastic stability of a tiltrotor aircraft, a structural optimization framework is developed by applying a multi-level optimization approach. Each optimization level is designed to achieve a different purpose; therefore, relevant optimization schemes are selected for each level. Enhancement of the aeroelastic stability is selected as an objective in the upper-level optimization. This is achieved by seeking the optimal structural properties of a composite wing, including its mass, vertical, chordwise, and torsional stiffness. In the upper-level optimization, the response surface method (RSM), is selected. On the other hand, lower-level optimization seeks to determine the local detailed cross-sectional parameters, such as the ply orientation angles and ply thickness, which are relevant to the wing structural properties obtained at the upper-level. To avoid manufacturing difficulties, only a few discrete ply orientation angles and an integral number of plies are considered as constraints. A genetic algorithm is selected as the optimizer at the lower-level. Use of the upper-level optimization causes a 13-18% increase in the flutter speed when compared to the baseline configuration. In the lower-level optimization, the optimization results were obtained considering the resulting failure margin and the location of the shear center.

KW - Multi-level optimization

KW - Response surface method

KW - Tiltrotor aircraft

KW - Whirl flutter analysis

KW - Composite wing

U2 - 10.1016/j.compstruct.2012.08.019

DO - 10.1016/j.compstruct.2012.08.019

JO - Composite Structures

JF - Composite Structures

SN - 0263-8223

VL - 95

SP - 283

EP - 294

ER -