Vibroacoustic design optimization of curved composite shells

The need to simultaneously optimize the structural design properties, and attain a satisfactory vibroacoustic performance for composite structures, has been a challenging task for modern structural engineers. This work is aimed at developing a statistical energy analysis (SEA) based numerical scheme for computing the optimal design parameters of each individual layer of layered curved shells having arbitrary complexities and layering. The main novelty of the work focuses on the computation of SEA properties for curved composite shells and derive the sensitivities of the acoustic transmission coefficient, expressed through the computed SEA properties, with respect to the structural design characteristics to be optimized. A wave finite element approach is employed to calculate the wave propagation constants of the curved shell. The calculated wave constants are then applied to compute the vibroacoustic properties for the curved shell using a SEA approach. Sensitivity analyses are conducted on the vibroacoustic properties to estimate their response to changes in the structural properties. Gradient vector is then formulated and hence the Hessian matrix, which is employed to formulate a Newton-like optimisation algorithm for optimizing the properties of the layered composite shell. The developed scheme is applied to a sandwich shell; optimal design parameters of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are obtained for the facesheet and the core of the shell whose base parameters are [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. This simultaneously optimizes the structure with maximum stiffness and minimum mass and attains a satisfactory dynamic performance for acoustic transmission through the sandwich shell. The principal advantage of the scheme is the ability to accurately model composite panels of arbitrary curvature at a rational computational time.

Axial tension of nonlinear elastic composite shells of zero Gaussian curvature with a rectangular hole

The formulation of physically nonlinear problems for composite shells of zero Gaussian curvature weakened by a rectangular hole under the action of axial loading is given. The initial equations are the equations of the theory of non-sloping shells, in which the Kirchhoff–Love hypotheses take place. Geometric relationships are written in vector form, and physical relationships are based on the deformation theory of plasticity for anisotropic materials. The system of resolving equations is obtained from the Lagrange variational principle. A technique has been developed for the numerical solution of two-dimensional physically nonlinear problems for orthotropic composite shells of this type, based on the use of the method of additional stresses and the method of finite elements. A variant of the finite element method is proposed, the peculiarity of which lies in the vector approximation of the sought values and the discrete execution of the geometric part of the Kirchhoff–Love hypotheses (at the nodes of finite elements). Using the developed technique, the nonlinear elastic state of an organoplastic conical shell with a rectangular hole, which at the ends is reinforced with frames and loaded with uniformly distributed tensile forces, has been investigated.