Weight optimization of a hat stiffened panel of a typical transport aircraft composite wing

Abstract

This paper proposes a method of weight optimization of a composite hat stiffened panel of a transport aircraft wing meeting the strength and buckling design constraints for different stringer spacings. The final configuration of stiffened panel drives the optimum stringer spacing and the minimum weight. The YSFI criterion is used for strength whereas PBF criteria and the Eigen value approach is used for buckling. These criteria are incorporated in an automatic way by exploiting the secondary response constraint feature of design optimizer; which allows calculating the secondary response quantities at any stage of design optimization. The MSC/PATRAN and NASTRAN tools are used as pre processor and optimizer. Therefore, this study reveals that 150 mm stinger spacing is the optimum spacing, but for weight optimization, the 100 mm stringer spacing provides a reduction in weight by 31.18%.