Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

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Materials Today: Proceedings

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Probabilistic optimization of Mg-based composite aircraft frame- a

topological analysis
Sakshi Singh ⇑, Nathi Ram Chauhan
MAE Department, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women, Delhi 06, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: In this study, the weight of an aircraft frame structure is optimized by using a variable density method
Received 3 September 2020 (VDM). For this, a probabilistic Mg-based composite aircraft frame model is designed in Ansys software
Received in revised form 19 October 2020 and its multiple iterations have been performed by using its topological properties. However, these prop-
Accepted 6 December 2020
erties are established based on Lagrange function and interpolation method. Through, its multiple itera-
Available online xxxx
tions, a numerical model is evaluated which depicts an optimized topological frame structure. The
optimized structure illustrates a significant reduction in density and weight percentage of Mg-based air-
Keywords:
craft frame as compared to domestic aircraft frame.
Aircraft frame
Optimization
Ó 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Correlation Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 1st International Con-
Lagrange multiplier ference on Energy, Material Sciences and Mechanical Engineering.
Variable density
Ansys software

1. Introduction composite structure is optimized and its weight reduction percent-

With the evolution of the aviation industry, the demands of
comprehensive performance of aircraft have been increased.
Therefore, the implementation of aerodynamic performance and
light-weight structures plays a significant role in aircraft structural
design applications [1]. Topographic optimization is an ideal
method to achieve perfect material layout and light- weight frame-
work when the encounter with design restraints [2]. VDM is one of
its topological methods which broadly involve the optimization of
structural design frames [3]. Aircraft structure of fighter plane (F-
35) is topologically optimized and 25–30% of its weight is reduced
by the report of Brandt et al. [4]. Similarly in designing of Boeing
aircraft (Boeing-787) with a similar technique, 40–45% of edge
floor part weight is reduced [5]. Also, by optimizing with the same
method, the fuselage of the door floor of A-380 Airbus aircraft has
been reduced about 1tonn [6]. Literature study reveals that Al-
based material aircraft frame structures are optimally designed
with the same topological method [7,8]. But very few studies have
been observed in Mg-based aircraft frame structures due to its
challenging fabrication technique [9]. Variable density method is
the best suitable approach to evaluate the density of composite
materials by using the optimizing technique through ANSYS soft-
ware [10]. Therefore, under certain conditions, a new Mg-based
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: singh.sakshi0408@gmail.com (S. Singh).
age has been evaluated through Ansys software.
2. Methodologies
2.1. Assumptions of VDM
The pseudo density method is also known as VDM [11]. It is pre-
sumed that there is a significant relation in-between physical
parameters and structural density of the material. Let us consider
the density of the material acquired within the [0, 1] intervals.
For continuous arbitrarily values, there are three varied conditions
of pseudo density for topographic optimize structures. First condi-
tion if the value is a unit then the variable density is 1. The second
condition, if the value is a vacant hole then variable density is zero.
And the third condition, if the variable density is nearer to 0.5 then
the unit is power exponent with intermediate value is 0 or 1.
The formulation of the pseudo density of the variable designs
can be signified as [12]:
qðDensityofEachUnitÞ ¼ Xe q0
where X e is the relative and q0 theintrinsic density of each unit.
WhenX e variable (relative) density value is 1 then the material
unit will be preserved and if the value is zero then the material unit
will be removed. This is due to the q i.e. a discontinuous function
with the penalty factor of p.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.12.175
2214-7853/Ó 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 1st International Conference on Energy, Material Sciences and Mechanical Engineering.

Please cite this article as: S. Singh and N. Ram Chauhan, Probabilistic optimization of Mg-based composite aircraft frame- a topological analysis, Materials
Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.12.175
S. Singh and N. Ram Chauhan Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Ke ¼ ðXe Þp K0 been stored in software previously [14]. Table 1 represents the

specific design parameters of Mg-based composite. However,
where K 0 element stiffness of the novel structure and K e the elemen-
300 mm is the fractural stiffener value where the frame is com-
tal stiffness of deformed structures. The deformed structural energy
posed of Mg/3B4C/7Cr composite. Because of its high strength with
is:
light-weight, this composite shows a deviation towards the manu-
C ¼ FT U¼ UT KUWhere C is called as structural compliance, F is facturing of aviation materials such as stiffener, aircraft frames and
the load of the node and U represents as displacement vector of wings etc [15]. And the mechanical properties of Mg-based com-
the node. Thus, mathematical condition for topological optimiza- posite are shown in Table 2. Fig. 2(b) establishes a three-
tion of aircraft structure formed as eq. (1): dimensional geometric aircraft frame model structure through
Find : X ¼ ðX 1 ; X 2 ; X 3 ; . . . X n Þ Ansys software. After the designing of mathematical structure,
the information of frame data is uploaded to the processor, as rep-
Minimize : C ¼ F T U
resented in Fig. 2(a). However, maximum length, width and height
Subject to : f ¼ v v ov 1 ð1Þ are the considerable parameters of the aircraft frame structure. The
0 < X min 6 X e 6 X max maximum length and height of the frame are 1500 mm and the
F ¼ KU width is 50 mm. The overall weight of the frame is 42.54 Kg and
the volume of the frame is 5.6537  103 m3.
Where V 0 is the volume of the material (initial), V effective volume 0 100 is the set value for the correlation between grids and the
of the material (whenq < 1Þ, V 1 is the volume of the material (when entity model of the frame structure by using an automatic extrac-
q ¼ 1Þ and f is the involved material percentage. Lastly, X min and tion partition method. In aviation discipline, when the value of grid
X max illustrates the upper and lower limit of the relative density. size correlation is 0 or 100 then the relative error of the frame
exists less than 3% [16]. With the increase of the grid correlation,
2.2. Algorithm optimization by VDM the relative error will be decreased. This evaluates the simulated
numerical model result which shows no dependency on the quality
Generally, the Lagrange Multiplier Method is used to calculate of the grid (Fig. 3a&b). It is due to the number of node and unit
the topological structural frame design of the aircraft [13]. Where which illustrates the grid correlation have greater value. And this
k is the Lagrange multiplier having X min and X max values are 0.01 greater value generates a complex operation. So for consecutive
and 1 respectively then from eq. (1) derived the objective functions analysis, preferred correlation grid value is 0 to meet the correla-
as in eq. (2)-(6): tion calculations as shown in Fig. 3(a).
The key function of this ordinary aircraft frame is to retain the
@L @U T @K @U
¼ KU þ UU T þ KU T þ k0 :V e fuselage shape and give the elastic assistant to the fuselage surface
@X e @X e @X e @X e
  (restrict from dropping stability during compression). Fig. 4(a)
@K @U evaluates the simplified form of the aircraft frame using load and
þ kT1 U þ K ð2Þ
@X e @X e boundary conditions. The optimization of frame space is deter-
The balancing equation of the aircraft structure is: mined by load distribution. The creation of convergent structures
and availability of optimized model is associated with the percent-
F ¼ KU ð3Þ age of the material. For setting up the initial value of material per-
After the calculation of eq. (3): centage, reduced value of 40% is selected for locating the specific
parameters of the topological model [17]. After completion of this
@K @U step, optimized iterative calculations have been performed. These
U þ K ¼ 0 ðe ¼ 1; 2; 3 . . . . . . ; NÞ ð4Þ
@X e @X e iterative calculations decide the performance (static and dynamic)
From eqs. (3) and (4), equation obtained as:
@L @K @K @U  T 
¼ UU T þ kT1 þ 2U þ kT1 K þ k0 :V e ð5Þ
@X e @X e @X e @X e
As kT1 is an arbitrary value so from Eq. (4) obtained:

PðX e ÞP1  U Te :K 0 :U e þ k0 :V e ¼ 0 ð6Þ

Then with the help of eq. (4), multiply X ie gives:

PU Te :K 0 :U e :X i1
e ¼ k0 :V e :X ie ð7Þ
Since,

U Te :K:U e : X i1
e ¼ he ð8Þ
Thus, from eqs. (7) and (8), the iterative equation of X e is :
 1
P:he i
Xe ¼ ðX min < X e < 1Þ ð9Þ
k0 :V e

3. Result and discussions

3.1. Analysis of Mg-based frame structure

For this study, a specific type of domestic aircraft frame struc-

ture has been selected as shown in Fig. 1 and its data values have Fig. 1. A 3-Dimensional model of domestic aircraft frame structure.

2
S. Singh and N. Ram Chauhan Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Table 1
Design values of aircraft structural parameter.

Outer radius of race (MM) Inner radius of race (MM) Thickness of frame (mm) Thickness of stiffener (mm) Fractured width of frame (mm)
800 50 3.5 4 300

Table 2
The topological properties of the Mg-based composite material.

Parameter type Elastic modulus, MPa Ultimate strength, MPa Yield strength, MPa Density, g/cm3
Mg/3B4C/7Cr 62.83 246 164 2.13

Fig. 2. (a) 2-Dimensional drawing of an aircraft frame, and (b) 3-Dimensional model of Mg-based aircraft model.

Fig. 3. Correlation grid of aircraft structure when grid value is (a) 0 and (b) 100.

of the aircraft frames. Fig. 4(b) illustrates the optimized topological
aircraft frame through multiple iterations
Fig. 4(b) shows 3 different coloured sections which represent
the optimized different structural area. The brown section shows
the edge part, the grey section shows the reserved area and red
section shows the removable area of the frame. When the one-
sided red structural composite is removed, significantly the over-
all mass of the frame has been decreased. Before optimization,
the weight and density of the domestic aircraft frame is
3
42.54 kg and 2.81 g/cm3 respectively. But, after optimization,
the weight and density of Mg-based frame are reduced to
31.77 kg and 2.31 g/cm3. It’s weight percentage decreased by
25.31%.
From the optimized frame results, the following outcomes are:
(a) The allocation of Mg-based composite material has a good
association with the multiple iterations and represents sig-
nificant aircraft frame structure.
S. Singh and N. Ram Chauhan
Fig. 4. (a) Load of the aircraft frame with its boundary condition, and (b) Optimized Topological aircraft frame analysis.
(b) From the lower section of the structural frame, the material
is reserved so a weak load-bearing is observed. And in the
upper and middle part, more retention of the material, thus
a strong bearing is observed.
(c) In the initial iterations, the majority of the unwanted mate-
rial has been picked, but after multiple iterations have been
performed suitable results are optimized through topo-
graphic boundary conditions of the material.
4. Conclusions
Conclusions withdrawn from the present analysis are:
1. A VDM is a convenient probabilistic approach to optimize topo-
logical Mg-based composite aircraft frame structure.
2. Successful designing and optimizing of Mg-based composite
aircraft frame structure is possible through Lagrange and inter-
polation techniques when applied in Ansys software.
3. 25.31% of the weight is reduced by using an Mg-based compos-
ite aircraft frame structure as compared to the domestic aircraft
frame structure.
Lastly, the Al-based frame is mostly used in aircraft structures
but during fabrication, density has been increased due to involved
reinforcements and microstructural defects. Thus, to reduce den-
sity as well as increase the mechanical strength, Mg-based frame
structures are best suitable materials for replacement having the
least defects.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank University Grant Commission for
providing funding and acknowledge the continuous support of
the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Indira
Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx
Gandhi Delhi Technical University, Delhi, India for providing ana-
lytical software facilities.
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