Stiffener layout optimization of plate and shell structures for buckling problem by adaptive growth method

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 301-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohu Dong ◽  
Xiaohong Ding ◽  
Guojie Li ◽  
Gareth Peter Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Layout Optimization ◽  
Shell Structures ◽  
Adaptive Growth ◽  
Plate And Shell ◽  
Stiffener Layout ◽  
Growth Method ◽  
Stiffener Layout Optimization ◽  
Adaptive Growth Method

Venation-Inspired Growth Technique for Stiffener Layout Design of Plate and Shell Structures

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Xue ◽  
Lei Li ◽  
Qiu Hong Li
Keyword(s):  
Design Method ◽  
Shell Structures ◽  
Structural Performance ◽  
Design Algorithm ◽  
Growth Technique ◽  
Plate And Shell ◽  
Elemental Sensitivity ◽  
Stiffener Layout ◽  
Similar Growth ◽  
Novel Design

A novel design method for stiffener layout of plate and shell structures is proposed in this paper. The method is inspired by the morphogenesis mechanism of dicotyledonous venation which is featured by hierarchy and functional adaptivity. It is expected that a optimal stiffener layout can be gradually achieved if the stiffeners extend by obeying a similar growth rule as the venation. Starting from the so called “seeds”, the stiffeners grow and branch off towards the direction that optimizes the structural performance. And the stiffeners with the minimum effectiveness to the structural performance are degenerated simultaneously. During the design process, the relative density of each element is treated as the design variable. The growth and degeneration of the stiffeners are determined by the nodal and elemental sensitivity numbers respectively. The design algorithm is programmed in Python and integrated with Abaqus software which is used as the FEA preprocessor and solver. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, it is applied to design the stiffener layouts of some typical structures with the objective of maximizing the overall stiffness with a volume constraint.

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