Buckling Analysis and Optimization for Spar Beam Of An Aircraft With Dissimilar Materials

Abstract

Spar beam is an I-cross sectioned cantilever beam which is fixed to the fuselage for supporting of
the wing. The aim of this project is to study about the aircraft wing spar structure and to optimize
an aircraft wing spar beam various types of material for a two seated aircraft. Geometric model
of spar beam of a passenger aircraft is done using CATIA V5 modeling tool. Once the geometry
is created as per specification and it is imported to HYPERMESH for meshing. This finite
element model is imported to OPTISRTUCT to evaluate the static analysis. Stringers are added
on to the beam in order to connect both the segments. And meshing is carried out according to it.
The load which will be acting on the beam are given to be as the point load at the center of the
fuel and a uniformly distributed load along the face of the beam with one end of the beam been
constrained with all degrees of freedom. The obtained results of stress and displacement are
tabulated. Topological optimization with different materials is carried out giving the same values
as the input and loading parameters. Hence, extra materials from the surface of the spar beam are
scooped out and finalized with a single material after comparing with the results

Introduction

In a fixed-wing aircraft, the spar is often the main structural member of the wing,
running spanwise at right angles (or thereabouts depending on wing sweep) to the fuselage. The
spar carries flight loads and the weight of the wings while on the ground. Other structural and
forming members such as ribs may be attached to the spar or spars, with stressed
skin construction also sharing the loads where it is used. There may be more than one spar in a
wing or none. However, where a single spar carries most of the forces on it, it is known as the
main spar.
Spars are also used in other aircraft aerofoil surfaces such as the tail plane and fin and serve a
similar function, although the loads transmitted may be different from those of a wing spar.

A structure may fail to support its load when a connection snaps, or it bends until it is useless, or
a member in tension either pulls apart or a crack forms that divides it, or a member in
compression crushes and crumbles, or, finally, if a member in compression buckles, that is,
moves laterally and shortens under a load it can no longer support. Of all of these modes of
failure, buckling is probably the most common and most catastrophic.

Leonhard Euler long ago showed that there was a critical load for buckling of a
slender column. A column, of course, is simply a common case of a compression
member. With any smaller load, the column would remain straight and support it.
With any larger load, the least disturbance would cause the column to bend
sideways with an indefinitely large displacement; that is, it would buckle. The
simplest case is that of a column pinned at both ends, that is, free to rotate, under a
load P. Let x be the distance along the column, and y its displacement to the side.
The bending moment at any point x is Py, which increases with the displacement,
it should be noticed. This means that any buckling merely encourages further
buckling, explaining why such failure is catastrophic.

The bending moment is related to the curvature by Py = M = -YI d2y/dx2, since for small y the
second derivative is the reciprocal of the radius of curvature. Y is Young's modulus, and I is the
moment of inertia of area of the cross-section of the column. I is the sum of elements of area
times the square of their distances from the neutral axis, as in the bending of a beam. The
differential equation is easy to solve, with the result that y = A sin ax + B cos ax, where a2 =
P/YI. B = 0, since y(0) = 0, and the condition A sin aL = 0 must also be satisfied, where L is the
length of the column. This means that aL = π, 2π, ... , or the smallest value of P is given by P' =
π2YI/L2. The constant A itself remains indeterminate.