Optimization of Composite Structures

Optistruct offers a comprehensive optimization package aimed at simplifying the design of composite structures. This package includes the following optimization phases and associated techniques: Phase I Concept. Free-sizing optimization is used to generate design concepts, while only considering global responses and optional manufacturing constraints. Phase II System. Sizing optimization with ply-based modeling is performed to control the thickness of each ply bundle, while considering all design responses and optional manufacturing constraints. Phase III Detail. Ply-stacking optimization is applied to determine the detailed stacking sequence, again while considering all behavior responses and manufacturing constraints. Even though these techniques can be used independently, it is recommended to use them together as a three-phase integrated process guiding the design from concept to finish. This is particularly important when manufacturing constraints are involved. In order to satisfy such constraints at the finishing stage, they should be incorporated at the beginning so that the design concept can be carried forward. Automated tools are provided to facilitate the transition between the design optimization phases.

Phase I Concept.
The purpose of composite free-sizing optimization is to create design concepts that utilize all the potentials of a composite structure where both structure and material can be designed simultaneously. By varying the thickness of each ply with a particular fiber orientation for every element, the total laminate thickness can change continuously throughout the structure, and at the same time, the optimal composition of the composite laminate at every point (element) is achieved simultaneously. At this stage, a super-ply concept should be adopted, in which each available fiber orientation is assigned a super-ply whose thickness is free-sized. In addition, in order to neutralize the effect of stacking sequence, the SMEAR option is usually a good choice for this design phase unless the user intended to follow through with the stacking preference of the super-ply laminate model. In Optistruct 9.0, additional manufacturing constraints are introduced for free-sizing optimization. As a composite laminate is typically manufactured through a stacking and curing process, certain manufacturing requirements are necessary in order to limit undesired side effects emerging during this curing process. For example, one typical such constraint for carbon fiber reinforced composite is that plies of a given orientation cannot be stacked successively for more than 3 or 4 plies. This implies that a design concept that contains areas of predominantly a single fiber orientation would never satisfy this requirement. Therefore, to achieve a manufacturable design concept, manufacturing requirements for the final product need to be reflected during the concept design stage. For the particular constraint mentioned above, for instance, the design concept would offer enough alternative ply orientations to break the succession of plies of the same orientation if the percentage of each fiber orientation is controlled (e.g. no ply orientation should drop below 15%). In addition, balancing of a pair of ply orientations could be useful for practical reasons. For example, balancing 45 and -45 plies would eliminate twisting of a plate bended along the 0 axis. In order to address these needs, the following manufacturing constraints are made available for composite free-sizing: Lower and upper bounds on the total thickness of the laminate. Lower and upper bounds on the thickness of individual orientations. Lower and upper bounds on the thickness percentage of individual orientations. Constant thickness of individual orientations. Thickness balancing between two given orientations.

Please refer to the DSIZE card for detailed information regarding composite free-sizing optimization and its associated manufacturing constraints. Note also that other generic manufacturing constraints, such as pattern grouping or member size control, can be activated for composite free-sizing as well.

Composite Structures - Ply-based Sizing Optimization

Ply-based Laminate Modeling
Complimentary to the conventional property-based composite definition, a new ply-based modeling technique was introduced in OptiStruct 9.0. In this format, laminates are defined in terms of ply entities and stacking sequences, which reflect the native language of ply-book standard to composite laminate modeling and manufacturing. The PLY card specifies the thickness, orientation and material data for each ply, as well as its layout in the structure. The STACK card glues the PLYs together to produce the laminate structure. Properties of every zone of unique laminate lay-ups are uniquely, albeit implicitly, defined. This allows the user to simply focus on the physical buildup of the composite structure and eliminates the burden associated with identifying patches (PCOMPs) of unique lay-ups, which can be especially complicated for a free-sizing generated design.

Ply-based Optimization
In property-based sizing optimization, the designable entities are the ply thicknesses associated with the PCOMP(G) properties. In ply-based sizing optimization, the PLY thicknesses are directly selected as designable entities. This approach greatly simplifies the design variables definition, since ply continuity across patches is automatically taken into account. As with free-sizing optimization, several composite manufacturing constraints are available to control the thickness of the laminate or the thicknesses of specific orientations. These constraints are defined on the DCOMP card and should generally be inherited from the concept phase. In addition, discrete optimization is automatically activated when TMANUF, the thickness of the basic manufacturable ply, is specified for the PLY associated with a given design variable. This feature forces ply bundles to reach thicknesses reflecting a discrete number of physical plies.

Phase Transitions in the Optimization of Composite Structures