Improved Structural Design Using Evolutionary Finite Element Modeling

Abstract

A wing structural layout design experiment conducted with a commercial aircraft manufacturer indicates that a systematic, evolutionary structural design process helps to focus integrated discussion analysis and decision-making efforts The process systematically incorporates optimized structural information into the design process The technical complexity of aircraft design requires technically skilled individuals to communicate disciplinary needs to people outside of their own disciplines Tools and methods that help interdisciplinary information transfer and can evolve with the fidelity required by the design process will improve a design organization's capability to produce an integrated aircraft that meets all of design requirements This paper shows that advanced structural design tools, used in a multidisciplinary team setting will improve structural information generation and communication This will enable a design team to better identify and meet structural design requirements. A realistic example demonstrates how high fidelity computational structural tools can generate and communicate structural information appropriate to the process needs. This means that the information is actually used to make decisions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADP014196

Entities

People

  • Robert M. Taylor
  • Terrence A. Weisshaar

Organizations

  • Purdue University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Commerce
  • Cost Estimates
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Fabrication
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Manufacturing
  • Optimization
  • Reliability
  • Safety
  • Spars
  • Structural Analysis
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Thickness
  • Topology Optimization

Readers

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.