Discrete Stiffness Tailoring: Optimised design and testing of minimum mass stiffened panels

Discrete Stiffness Tailoring (DST) is a novel manufacturing concept where stiffness tailoring achieved using discrete changes in ply angle to favourably redistribute stresses. Resulting performance increases can be exploited potentially achieve lightweight rapidly manufacturable structures, uninhibited by the minimum tow-turning radii which limit continuous fibre steering approaches. An efficient two-stage optimisation routine implemented design DST minimum-mass stiffened aircraft wing panel subject buckling and feasibility constraints. The manufactured compression tested failure, extending component level for first time. A weight reduction of 14.4% compared constant optimum, through redistribution load stiffener region. optimum removes material from skin, between stiffeners. Experimentally, optimised tailored load, without within 5% that predicted, validating both methodology modelling.