Collaborative Research: Design Procedures and Manufacturing Methods for Dual-Material and Fiber-Reinforced Minimum-Weight Structures

这笔赠款用于开发一种新的设计方法和相关的制造程序，用于绝对最轻重量的结构，使用最新的先进材料和工艺。特别令人感兴趣的是制造技术，如激光净成形和超声波固化，这些技术能够在加工过程中改变材料和性能，并将陶瓷纤维引入金属合金。基本的设计问题是在给定不同的材料特性、所需的载荷、所需的刚度和支承的位置的情况下，确定所需结构的最佳布局。研究人员将开发一些最优的分析二维和三维解决方案，用来验证将在研究中开发的更强大的数值优化技术。后者将包括一种新的基于有限元的结构优化方法，以及一种桁架结构重量最小化的增长方法。在这项设计工作的同时，研究人员计划制造和测试最佳的多材料结构原型。在这项合作研究任务中，两家机构的研究人员都与桑迪亚国家实验室建立了工作关系，桑迪亚国家实验室将指导他们选择测试用例。这项研究的结果可能对开发用于航空航天、交通、国防和其他行业的新型轻质结构产生重大影响，无论哪里需要生产更轻的产品。这项研究还可以使设计结构优化在工程设计界得到更广泛的实践。目前，用于所谓的结构拓扑优化的唯一方法需要定制的有限元分析(FEA)程序，而这些程序不能在商业有限元平台上运行。本研究计划的设计工具不仅可以应用于多种材料的性能结构，而且还可以与美国工业中广泛使用的商业有限元分析程序一起使用。

This grant is for the development of a new design methodology and associated manufacturing procedures for absolute minimum-weight structures, using the latest advanced materials and processes. Of particular interest are manufacturing techniques such as laser net shaping and ultrasonic consolidation, which are capable of changing materials and properties in process and introducing ceramic fibers into metal alloys. The basic design problem is to determine the optimal layout of a required structure given the varying material properties, the required loading, the required stiffness and the location of supports. The investigators will develop a number of optimal analytical two and three-dimensional solutions with which to validate more powerful numerical optimization techniques to be developed in the research. The latter will include a new approach to finite-element based structural optimizations, as well a growth method for weight minimization of truss-type structures. Concurrently with this design work, the investigators plan to manufacture and test optimal multi-material structural prototypes. The investigators, at both institutions in this collaborative research task, have working relationships with Sandia National Laboratories, which will guide them in the selection of test cases.The results of this research could have a significant impact in the development of new classes of light-weight structures for use in aerospace, transportation, defense and other industries, wherever there is need to produce lighter products. The research could also enable design structural optimization to be much more widely practiced in the engineering design community. Currently the only methods available, for so-called structural topological optimization, require custom finite-element analysis (FEA) codes which can not be operated on commercial finite-element platforms. The design tools planned in this research will not only allow application to multi-material property structures, but will also be capable of use with the commercial FEA codes in wide use throughout US industry.