Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

Investigating The Method Of Structural Topological Variations For Sensitivity Analysis And Design Optimization, Niki A. Mehta

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The method of structural topological variations is a newly developed technique for analysis of frame structures. It provides a novel method that completely avoids formulating and solving simultaneous equations, required in the finite element displacement method. The principal objective of this thesis is to investigate the method of topological variations as a possible design tool and study its applicability in the sensitivity analysis and in the process of design optimization.

A computer code was developed for this method to obtain its comparative performance against the finite element displacement method. For analysis of large structures involving frequent local modifications, the method …

Analysis And Optimal Design Of Pyramidal Truss Core Panels, Mark A. Wiseman

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The Pyramidal Truss Core Panel has been developed to save weight in applications normally devoted to solid plates. Present design formulas use classical beam theory with engineering assumptions made for moment of inertia and shear modulus determinations. Analysis with the SUPERSAP finite element code indicates that the present theory provides good prediction for the plate stresses but may be inadequate for the core stress and deflection determination. Two optimization routines are presented. The first procedure uses a batch file to execute separate programs with SUPERSAP used as the analysis code. The second combines a FORTRAN program used for analysis with …

Finite Element Thermal-Structural Analysis Of Cable-Stiffened Space Structures, Ajay Kumar Pandey

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Finite element thermal-structural analyses of cable-stiffened space structures are presented. A computational scheme for calculation of prestresses in the cable-stiffened structures is also described. The determination of thermal loads on orbiting space structures due to environmental heating is described briefly. Three finite element structural analysis techniques are presented for the analysis of prestressed structures. Linear, stress stiffening and large displacement analysis techniques are investigated.

The three techniques are employed for structural analysis of prestressed cable structures at different prestress levels. The three analyses produce similar results at small prestress. but at higher prestress differences between the results become significant. For …