Aircraft Wing Design Through Concurrent Thickness and Material Optimization

Existing optimization algorithms do not allow for simultaneous thickness optimization and material selection of non-laminate shell structures. The proposed concurrent thickness and material optimization (CTMO) scheme fills this niche, with a focus on practical, industry-style problems. A complex aircraft wing model is developed and optimized through CTMO. An extensive parameter sweep is conducted for this model, generating 384 results with different designable thickness limits and masses. These results are analyzed to show overall trends in compliance based on problem constraints. Selected results are presented qualitatively to study material selection and optimized thickness. Finally, the relevance of this work to real-world engineering studies is discussed, along with some areas for future improvement of CTMO.