Topology optimization design of aircraft wing ribs based on isogeometric analysis

doi:10.11996/JG.j.2095-302X.2026051135

Abstract

Abstract:

As critical load-bearing components of aircraft wings, wing ribs play an important role in improving the overall performance of aircraft through lightweight design. Traditional wing rib design mainly relies on engineering experience to determine structural dimensions and lacks systematic optimization methods. Structural optimization methods based on finite element analysis have limitations in geometric representation accuracy and design-analysis integration. Based on weakly coupled isogeometric analysis and density-based topology optimization, a topology optimization design framework for aircraft wing ribs in complex configurations composed of skin, ribs, and spars was established. Firstly, a precise geometric model of the wing structure was constructed using non-uniform rational B-splines. On this basis, an isogeometric analysis framework based on the Reissner-Mindlin plate-shell theory and a penalty-based weak coupling method was established. Its accuracy and reliability were verified by comparison with computational results obtained using the commercial finite element software Abaqus. Secondly, with compliance used as the objective function and the optimality criteria method adopeted as the optimization algorithm, a density-based isogeometric topology optimization model was developed, and the effects of the density penalization factor and filter radius on the optimization results were analyzed. Finally, weakly coupled isogeometric analysis and density-based topology optimization were applied to the concurrent topology optimization design of wing ribs in two complex wing configurations, namely the RAE-2822 and Davis B-24 wings. The optimized and original models were subjected to finite element reanalysis and comparison using Abaqus to verify the effectiveness of the design results. The results showed that, the established weakly coupled isogeometric topology optimization method can optimize the material distribution in the wing-rib design domain and reduce structural weight while keeping the overall displacement response of the wing nearly unchanged, thereby providing a feasible technical approach for lightweight optimization design of complex thin-walled wing structures.

Key words: complex thin-walled structures, aircraft wing, wing ribs, isogeometric analysis, topology optimization, density method

CLC Number:

V 224
TP 391

WANG Shengxue, LIU Zhaoyun, DU Xiaoxiao, WANG Wei, ZHAO Gang. Topology optimization design of aircraft wing ribs based on isogeometric analysis[J]. Journal of Graphics, 2026, 47(5): 1135-1147.

Figures/Tables 24

Fig. 1 Numbering of multi-patch thin-walled structures

Fig. 2 Post-processing and density sampling of topology optimization results

Fig. 3 Shell structure model of the table holder

Fig. 4 Comparison of topology optimization results at a volume fraction of 0.4 ((a) Ours; (b) Literature [26])

Fig. 5 Compliance and volume fraction evolution in topology optimization at volume fraction 0.4

Fig. 6 Comparison of topology optimization results at a volume fraction of 0.5 ((a) Ours; (b) Literature [26])

Fig. 7 Compliance and volume fraction evolution in topology optimization at volume fraction 0.5

Fig. 8 Convergence of maximum displacement with mesh refinement

Fig. 9 Variation curves of topology-optimization evaluation indices under different filter radii for the table-holder shell

Fig. 10 Comparison of topology optimization results for the table holder model under different filter radii

Fig. 11 Variation curves of topology-optimization evaluation indices under different density penalization factors for the table-holder shell

Fig. 12 Comparison of topology optimization results for the table holder model under different density penalization factors

Fig. 13 Wing planform layout[48]

Fig. 14 Wing boundary conditions

Fig. 15 Response analysis of the wing using Abaqus

Fig. 16 Results of isogeometric analysis of the wing

Fig. 17 Topology optimization results for individual ribs of the RAE-2822 wing

Fig. 18 Compliance and volume fraction evolution in topology optimization

Fig. 19 Comparison of finite element reanalysis results of the RAE-2822 wing structure before and after topology optimization

Table 1 Comparison of key nodal displacements for the RAE-2822 wing structure before and after topology optimization/mm

测点位置	优化前	优化后
翼尖前缘点	0.142 788	0.143 408
翼尖后缘点	0.152 443	0.153 118

Fig. 20 Topology optimization results for individual ribs of the Davis B-24 wing

Fig. 21 Compliance and volume fraction evolution in topology optimization

Fig. 22 Comparison of finite element reanalysis results of the Davis B-24 wing structure before and after topology optimization

Table 2 Comparison of key nodal displacements for the Davis B-24 wing structure before and after topology optimization/mm

测点位置	优化前	优化后
翼尖前缘点	0.091 766	0.091 388
翼尖后缘点	0.098 916	0.098 681

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