Multiscale Aeroelastic Optimization Method for Wing Structure and Material

Abstract

Microstructured materials, characterized by their lower weight and multifunctionality, have great application prospects in the aerospace field. Optimization methods play a pivotal role in enhancing the design efficiency of both macrostructural and microstructural topology (MMT) for aircraft. This paper proposes a multiscale aeroelastic optimization method for wing structure and material considering realistic aerodynamic loads for large aspect ratio wings with significant aeroelastic effects. The aerodynamic forces are calculated by potential flow theory and the aeroelastic equilibrium equations are solved through finite element method. The parallel design of the wing MMT is achieved by utilizing the optimization criterion (OC) method based on sensitivity information. The optimization results indicate that wing elastic effects reinforce the outer section of the wing structure compared with the optimization results obtained under rigid aerodynamic forces. As the optimization constraints become more rigorous, the optimization results show that the components with larger loads are strengthened. Furthermore, the method presented in this paper can effectively optimize the wing structure under complex boundary conditions to achieve a reasonable stiffness distribution in the wing.