Design and Finite Element Analysis of Hypersonic Aerospace Structures: Principles and Applications

Abstract

Hypersonic aerospace vehicles can be subjected to very aggressive aerothermal conditions with extreme kinetic heating and severe mechanical loads. The number of structural integrities is the main limitation to sustained Mach 5+ flights. The conventional design approaches tend to exist within disciplinary secluded walls which lead to conservative overbearing structures. There is an urgent shortage of unified structures that can be optimized to lower the mass, simultaneously with thermal protection, and transient dynamic stability. The purpose of the research is to create an exceptionally integrated, multidisciplinary computational framework to optimize the structural integrity and mass of a hypersonic airframe. The aim is to attain a light-weight arrangement well within the boundaries of aerodynamic profile stability. This was simulated with SolidWorks using parametric geometry and adaptive finite element mesh strategy of a representative aerospace structure. An export of high-fidelity to a MATLAB optimization algorithm led to a continuous refinement of skin thicknesses and stiffener dimensions to determine the minimum total mass. Lastly, converged architecture was tested in Simulink to test transient response in simulated high-G maneuver, and as atmospheric gusts. The optimized design showed an impressive 11.3% decrease in total structural mass relative to the baseline model. The highest von Mises stress was kept at 320 MPa at the tip of the nose cone and 280 MPa at the internal joints which were at a safe and constant level in comparison with the yield strength of 503 MPa of Al 7075 alloy. Peak structural movement was recorded to be 3.2 mm and dynamic vibrations damped out quickly within 0.45s, a stability assuring shockwave attachment. This multidisciplinary approach proves that localized geometric adjustments are vastly superior to uniform material thickening for surviving hypersonic conditions. The structure forms a solid basis of future applications including using advanced ceramic matrix composites and active thermal management. - -

Keywords

Applied Science - Engineering, Convergence Science - Invention and Design

Citation

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