On stability optimization of the deployable bistable compliant structures mounted in the morphing skin: Method and implementation

Abstract

Morphing skin is the surface of the deployable frame which could reconfigure its shape to present optimal performance in all stages of a task for the re-entry aerospace vehicle. After many years of research effort, design concept and manufacturing methodologies of morphing skin have been developed, especially in the adoption of bistable compliant mechanism (BCM). In order to make morphing skins more stable to accommodate to the air flow and change its profile more accurately, one method on the design and optimization of stability characteristics for deployable BCMs of morphing skin is proposed in this paper. The optimization is developed by the aeroelastic formulation of the deployable BCM mounted on the morphing skin. The optimization problem is considered as a multi-objective-constraint issue and the parametric equations to get the optimal parameters are solved by the immune genetic algorithm. Besides, a case study is proposed to provide evidence that the method can come to the optimal stiffness of BCM, with which the effectiveness about the new method of design and optimization can be testified.