Aeronautics Research 2002 - 2006 projects

– extension to multidisciplinary design
criteria (stress, displacements, etc.).
The research goals are:
1. The platform should be fl exible with
respect to the inclusion of new optimisation
algorithms and visualisation
tools, and it should be geared to aeronautical
needs.
2. The large-scale optimisation algorithms
should employ some form of
dedicated fi rst-order algorithm.
3. The method should be extended to
plate and shell problems and should
be able to handle multiple objectives
such as stiffness, vibration and buckling.
4. An algorithm should be developed in
order to handle local constraints.
5. Benchmark examples should be generated
using mixed-integer convex
models.
6. The results should be interpreted and
visualised in a manner consistent with
aerospace needs, e.g. shell structures
using laminate lay-ups.
7. The platform should be tested on
examples of industrial origin.
misation code itself while a supplementary
approach using sequential convex
programming results in an integration in
the platform that is somewhat different.
A central aspect of the software system
called PLATO-N is the interpretation and
visualisation of topology optimisation
results in order to derive the design concepts.
Likewise it is considered important
to provide benchmark examples and an
example library. For the latter, global
optimisation will be pursued and these
methods also constitute an aspect of data
interpretation for FMO in terms of laminates.
Description of work
Results
The main innovations and products are:
PLATO: A generic software platform for
topology optimisation, which is specifi c
for aeronautics applications.
PLATOlib.: A sample case library, which
can be used as a benchmarking library
for the topology optimisation community
including challenging applications from
industrial design problems.
PLATO-N: A high-performance software
system integrating the implementations
The core of the project, which binds the
pieces together in terms of operational
of algorithms and methods developed in
the project.
software, is the software platform PLATO. Benefi ts from the multidisciplinary
It provides a library of common subrou- research approach are expected at all
tines, manages the datafl ow between levels:
the modules and provides a graphical – The research community will profi t
user interface. As well as the platform, from the ‘technology pull’ applied by
an example library, called PLATOlib, the aeronautic industry.
of industrial and academic benchmark – It will improve the awareness of enti-
examples will be generated. For the indities outside the research community
vidual parts there are different aspects of the potential of topology optimisa-
to be developed, all in terms of upstream tion.
fundamental research. This encompasses – PLATO-N greatly extends the scope
the development of fast sub-algorithms of topology optimisation and expands
for the optimisation methods, inclusion both its applicability and acceptance
of these in the overall optimisation meth- in the European aerospace industry.
ods and the integration of these with the It provides a means for shortening
fi nite element analysis (FEM), which is development times and reinforces
required for the application at hand. For the competitiveness of the European
free material optimisation (FMO), the FEM airframe manufacturers on the global
analysis is an integrated part of the opti- market.
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