A fast procedure for the design of composite stiffened panels

Abstract This paper describes the analysis and the minimum weight optimisation of a fuselage composite stiffened panel made from carbon/epoxy material and stiffened by five omega stringers. The panel investigated inside the European project MAAXIMUS is studied using a fast tool, which relies on a semi-analytical procedure for the analysis and on genetic algorithms for the optimisation. The semi-analytical approach is used to compute the buckling load and to study the post-buckling response. Different design variables are considered during the optimisation, such as the stacking sequences of the skin and the stiffener, the geometry and the cross-section of the stiffener. The comparison between finite element and fast tool results reveals the ability of the formulation to predict the buckling load and the post-buckling response of the panel. The reduced CPU time necessary for the analysis and the optimisation makes the procedure an attractive strategy to improve the effectiveness of the preliminary design phases.