Conceptual Design of Aircraft Structure Based on Topology Optimization Method

Abstract

Structure optimization including topology optimization, size optimization, et al. has been proved to be efficient in improving structure performance; this means that the same performance can be achieved by using less material or using the same material for better performance. And optimizations play a bigger role in field of automotive and aircraft design. In this paper, an efficient topology optimization method is proposed for aircraft structure conceptual design. This is achieved as follows: first, based on the load and design requirements, we design a series of optimization model with the same explicit constrains (EC) including maximum displacement, center of gravity in x direction (COGX), first order of nature frequency, which are explicitly required, and varies mass constrain. By topology optimization analysis, the mass requirement will be determined matching with the deterministic constraints. And the material distribution model with high bearing capacity is obtained. Second, according to the topology optimization results, considering the functional requirements, such as devices space, operating cap, a two-dimensional parameter optimization model will be setup. Parameter optimization is carried out with the matching mass and others EC as constrains, and the total compliance as objective. The parameter optimization results can be used to guiding structural design. At the same time, the structure conceptual sketch will be analyzed in the optimization processing. Finally, the conceptual model of parameterized aircraft structure is obtained. Numerical examples based on x-43 aircraft show that the proposed method can obtain good solutions to aircraft design problems. Furthermore, the problem of large computational efforts in the solution process can also be solved under the recent Moving Morphable component (MMC) solution framework.