COMPUTER-AUGMENTED PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF AIRCRAFT WING STRUCTURES

A computer system to aid in the preliminary design of aircraft wing structures for minimum weight is described. The system was developed to utilize effectively the best attributes of both computers and the human mind in the iterative process of analyzing highly redundant trial structures and using these results to select new trial strucutres. The computer is used for the routine data processing, and the designer performs those tasks which require judgement and intuition. Cathode ray tube graphical displays are provided for checking input data and for evaluating results. From given basic information on the wing structure loads, and material properties, a finite element model is developed, analyzed, modified to eliminate violations of design criteria, and optimized to obtain the structural configuration of least weight. The optimization proceeds automatically but the designer may monitor progress with the aid of tabular and graphical displays and modify the direction in which the optimization is proceeding.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00457949
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Maxwell House, Fairview Park
  Elmsford, NY  United States  10523
• Authors:
  • Lewis, ADM
  • Tiewtranon, P
  • Malone, D W
• Publication Date: 1976-12

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 557-561
• Serial:
  • Computers and Structures
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0045-7949

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Computer aided design; Computer graphics; Finite element method; Information processing; Iterative methods; Optimization; Vehicle design; Weight; Wings (Aircraft)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aircraft design
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Design; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00172773
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 1978 12:00AM