Author(s)

M. SHEVTSOVA, I. ZHILYAEV, P. OGANESYAN AND V. SHEVTSOVA

Abstract

Composite structures with the shell-like geometry must provide the sufficient mechanical stiffness in order to eliminate the unwanted deformations caused by the action of airflow. Because the pressure field on the design surface caused by airflow is generally uniform, the ensuring of the necessary stiffness can be achieved by creating a nonuniform thickness along the shell surface. In the present study the CFD finite element analysis of the virtual wind-tunnel test for the studied composite shell is performed assuming its absolute stiffness. The problem is further parameterized by the introduction of the auxiliary sphere, which causes a smooth distribution function of the shell thickness. The optimum seeking is performed by means of the four parameter variation of this function, providing a minimum total energy of the shell deformation under the given restrictions on its weight.

Keywords

CFD simulation, composite structures, lay-up design, structural optimization.