Layout optimization of stiffeners in stiffened composite plates with thermal residual stresses

  • Authors:
  • Xiangmin Wang;J. S. Hansen;D. C. D. Oguamanam

  • Affiliations:
  • Institute for Aerospace Studies, University of Toronto, 4925 Dufferin St., Toronto, Ont., Canada M3H 5T6;Institute for Aerospace Studies, University of Toronto, 4925 Dufferin St., Toronto, Ont., Canada M3H 5T6;Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, Ont., Canada M5B 2K3

  • Venue:
  • Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
  • Year:
  • 2004

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Abstract

The influence of manufacturing induced thermal residual stresses in stiffened, symmetrically laminated plates on the optimal locations of the stiffeners is investigated using finite element analysis method. The stiffeners are either discrete or continuous. The objective is to determine the optimal locations of these stiffeners in order to maximize the first natural frequency of the stiffened plate. The optimization problem is solved using the method of moving asymptotes (MMA). A two stage solution approach is adopted: the first solves a thermal problem and the results are then used in the second stage to solve a free vibration problem. The results of the numerical simulations indicate that thermal residual stresses influence the magnitude of the optimum first natural frequencies of only the plates stiffened with continuous stiffeners. However, the optimum locations for both the continuous and the discrete stiffeners are invariant to thermal residual stresses. Both the arrangement of the stiffeners and the magnitude of the optimum first natural frequency are strongly influenced by the ply-angles of the basic laminates and those of the stiffeners.