Topology optimization of a pre-stiffened aircraft bulkhead

The bulkhead of an aft-fuselage twin-engine mounted aircraft is a pivotal structural component from a noise and vibrations perspective as it is the main transmission path for the engine-induced vibration to propagate into the passenger cabin. Despite this, there has yet to be a successful implementation of topology optimization (TO) on a pre-stiffened aircraft bulkhead. This work is the first to investigate TO on a pre-stiffened bulkhead with a …