Optimizing deployment dynamics of composite tape-spring hinges

Abstract

The composite tape-spring hinge (CTSH) is a lightweight structural connector widely employed in space structures, including spacecraft and satellites, due to its high specific strength and stiffness. Introducing cutouts enables CTSH to possess folding and deployment capability, while optimizing the cutouts finely to optimize the performance of CTSH. However, the interaction between cutout size and the dynamic deployment of CTSH is a novel topic. To address this, a multi-objective optimization problem is formulated, aiming to minimize both the maximum overshoot angle and deployment time while considering mass constraints. An accelerated size optimization is achieved by integrating data-driven surrogate modeling and size optimization. The optimized CTSH design exhibits a significant improvement in performance, with a 26.3% reduction in the maximum overshoot angle and a 12.6% reduction in the deployment time compared to the initial design. The proposed optimization strategy is highly adaptable and can be applied to various optimization problems, offering valuable insights for future designing space deployable structures with desirable performance.