Combined shape and cross-section optimisation of composite structures based on the singular value decomposition of sensitivity matrices

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Franz-Joseph Barthold
• Subject Area: Applied Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics ; Mechanics
• Term: from 2012 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 227160449

Desigining composites with non-linear structural behaviour including stability phenomena is a demanding optimisation problem highly related to practice.The first goal is to develop an algorithm to automatically determine quantitativelyof the most relevant influences on the structural behaviour including stability aspects via objective and constraints functions. Modifications of the shell geometry and of the composite material will be considered. The enhanced analysis of the computed sensitivities will be performed using linear and non-linear methods of principal component analysis (PCA), e.g. the singular value decomposition (SVD). The results will be used to guide the automatic nonlinear programming algorithm as well as the intuitive interpretation of engineers.The second goal is the extension of the optimisation methods to solve combined problems consisting of optimising the geometry of the shell, the sub-division of the domain into sub-domains with identical composite material, and the optimal laminate parameters within these sub-domains.The method will be applied and tested on several industrial applications.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Cooperation Partner: Dr.-Ing. Nikolai Gerzen