OPTIMUM DESIGN OF COMPOSITE STIFFENED WING PANELS - A PARAMETRIC STUDY

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 valuer, 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.