Abstract:-This paper presents a multi-agent search technique to design an optimal composite box-beam helicopter rotor blade. The search technique is called particle swarm optimization ('inspired by the choreography of a bird flock'). The continuous geometry parameters (cross-sectional dimensions) and discrete ply angles of the box-beams are considered as design variables. The objective of the design problem is to achieve a) specified stiffness value and b) maximum elastic coupling. The presence of maximum elastic coupling in the composite box-beam increases the aeroelastic stability of the helicopter rotor blade. The multi-objective design problem is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem and solved collectively using particle swarm optimization technique. The optimal geometry and ply angles are obtained for a composite box-beam design with ply angle discretizations of 10• and 45
•. The performance and computational efficiency of the proposed particle swarm optimization approach is compared with various genetic algorithm based design approaches. The simulation results clearly show that the particle swarm optimization algorithm provides better solutions in terms of performance and computational time than the genetic algorithm based approaches.
A three‐dimensional, linear, small deformation theory of elasticity solution by the direct method is given for the flexure of simply supported homogeneous, isotropic, thick rectangular plates under arbitrary loading. This solution, in terms of infinite series is formally exact and yields accurate numerical results without undue effort. Numerical results are presented for uniformly distributed normal load on the top surface. The results from Reissner's theory of thick plates and the predictions of thin plate theory are compared with the values from the present exact solution. The analysis is readily extended for laminated plates of isotropic materials. Numerical results are also given for a three‐ply laminate under uniformly distributed normal load on the top surface, and are used to assess the accuracy of thin plate theory predictions for laminates.
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