A block-queue based optimization method for composite structures blended with multiple templates

School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, P. R. China

Abstract

Maintaining the continuity (blending) of stacking sequences is very vital when the stacking sequences of a multi-region panel is being optimized. The traditional attempt simplifies the difficulty of the blending problem by designing the whole panel based on one stacking template. However, this simplification adds an unnecessary constraint that regions with the same thickness should have the same stacking sequence. In order to overcome the drawback, this paper introduces a region block queue based method to obtain the optimal manufacturable stacking sequences of composite laminates blended from multiple stacking templates. The method discussed here groups regions into blocks, forming a block queue, and designs the entire laminate panel with multiple stacking templates, which are respectively applied to different blocks. The continuity between two adjacent blocks is guaranteed by sequentially rebuilding the template of a block from the sequences of adjacent regions within its previous block in the queue. An 18-region benchmark problem is chosen to prove the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the solution obtained is 0.27kg lighter than the traditional template-based method. The reduction of mass reveals that the use of multiple templates does contribute to searching for lighter solution.