Multi-Scale Design and Optimization of Composite Material Structure for Heavy-Duty Truck Protection Device

In this paper,to present a lightweight-developed front underrun protection device(FUPD)for heavy-duty trucks,plain weave carbon fiber reinforced plastic(CFRP)is used instead of the original high-strength steel.First,the mechanical and structural properties of plain carbon fiber composite anti-collision beams are comparatively analyzed from a multi-scale perspective.For studying the design capability of carbon fiber composite materials,we investigate the effects of TC-33 carbon fiber diameter(D),fiber yarn width(W)and height(H),and fiber yarn density(N)on the front underrun protective beam of carbon fiber compositematerials.Based on the investigation,a material-structure matching strategy suitable for the front underrun protective beam of heavy-duty trucks is proposed.Next,the composite material structure is optimized by applying size optimization and stack sequence optimization methods to obtain the higher performance carbon fiber composite front underrun protection beam of commercial vehicles.The results show that the fiber yarn height(H)has the greatest influence on the protective beam,and theH1matching scheme for the front underrun protective beamwith a carbon fiber composite structure exhibits superior performance.The proposed method achieves a weight reduction of 55.21% while still meeting regulatory requirements,which demonstrates its remarkable weight reduction effect.

A strategy for lightweight designing of a railway vehicle car body including composite material and dynamic structural optimization

Rolling stock manufacturers are finding structural solutions to reduce power required by the vehicles,and the lightweight design of the car body represents a possible solution.Optimization processes and innovative materials can be combined in order to achieve this goal.In this framework,we propose the redesign and optimization process of the car body roof for a light rail vehicle,introducing a sandwich structure.Bonded joint was used as a fastening system.The project was carried out on a single car of a modern tram platform.This preliminary numerical work was developed in two main steps:redesign of the car body structure and optimization of the innovated system.Objective of the process was the mass reduction of the whole metallic structure,while the constraint condition was imposed on the first frequency of vibration of the system.The effect of introducing a sandwich panel within the roof assembly was evaluated,focusing on the mechanical and dynamic performances of the whole car body.A mass saving of 63%on the optimized components was achieved,corresponding to a 7.6%if compared to the complete car body shell.In addition,a positive increasing of 17.7%on the first frequency of vibration was observed.Encouraging results have been achieved in terms of weight reduction and mechanical behaviour of the innovated car body.

Structural design of the fluted shaped charge liner using multi-section optimization method

Spin effect of the small diameter shaped charge results in the centrifugal stress during the jet stretching process. Consequently, the jet scatters, which deceases the jet penetration capability. In the present study, a multi-section method was proposed to design the spin-compensation liner. The spincompensation rate(SCR) of the liner was defined as the specific angular velocity that a fluted liner can offset. Based on the plain stress theory, SPH numerical method was applied to study the converging process of the 2D fluted structure. The spin-compensation mechanism of the fluted structure was illustrated. Then, nine cross sections were chosen along the liner axis equidistantly. On each of the section, a 2D fluted structure was designed to offset a given initial angular velocity. After, the optimized fluted structures were integrated into a 3D fluted liner. Jet appearances of the normal liner and the fluted liners under different initial angular velocities were compared, which verifies the practicality of the multi-sectional method. The multi-section optimization method provides a new efficient method of designing the shaped charge liner for a specific usage.

A Smooth Bidirectional Evolutionary Structural Optimization of Vibrational Structures for Natural Frequency and Dynamic Compliance

A smooth bidirectional evolutionary structural optimization(SBESO),as a bidirectional version of SESO is proposed to solve the topological optimization of vibrating continuum structures for natural frequencies and dynamic compliance under the transient load.A weighted function is introduced to regulate the mass and stiffness matrix of an element,which has the inefficient element gradually removed from the design domain as if it were undergoing damage.Aiming at maximizing the natural frequency of a structure,the frequency optimization formulation is proposed using the SBESO technique.The effects of various weight functions including constant,linear and sine functions on structural optimization are compared.With the equivalent static load(ESL)method,the dynamic stiffness optimization of a structure is formulated by the SBESO technique.Numerical examples show that compared with the classic BESO method,the SBESO method can efficiently suppress the excessive element deletion by adjusting the element deletion rate and weight function.It is also found that the proposed SBESO technique can obtain an efficient configuration and smooth boundary and demonstrate the advantages over the classic BESO technique.

Fluid-Dynamics Analysis and Structural Optimization of a 300 kW MicroGas Turbine Recuperator

Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)is used here to reduce pressure loss and improve heat exchange efficiency in the recuperator associated with a gas turbine.First,numerical simulations of the high-temperature and lowtemperature channels are performed and,the calculated results are compared with experimental data(to verify the reliability of the numerical method).Second,the flow field structure of the low-temperature side channel is critically analyzed,leading to the conclusion that the flow velocity distribution in the low-temperature side channel is uneven,and its resistance is significantly higher than that in the high-temperature side.Therefore,five alternate structural schemes are proposed for the optimization of the low-temperature side.In particular,to reduce the flow velocity in the upper channel,the rib length of each channel at the inlet of the low-temperature side region is adjusted.The performances of the 5 schemes are compared,leading to the identification of the configuration able to guarantee a uniform flow rate and minimize the pressure drop.Finally,the heat transfer performance of the optimized recuperator structure is evaluated,and it is shown that the effectiveness of the recuperator is increased by 1.5%.

A Simple and Efficient Structural Topology Optimization Implementation Using Open-Source Software for All Steps of the Algorithm:Modeling, Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization

This work analyzes the implementation of a continuous method of structural topology optimization(STO)using open-source software for all stages of the topology optimization problem:modeling,sensitivity analysis and optimization.Its implementation involves three main components:numerical analysis using the Finite Element Method(FEM),sensitivity analysis using an Adjoint method and an optimization solver.In order to allow the automated numerical solution of Partial Differential Equations(PDEs)and perform a sensitivity analysis,FEniCS and Dolfin Adjoint software are used as tools,which are open-source code.For the optimization process,Ipopt(Interior Point OPTimizer)is used,which is a software package for nonlinear optimization scale designed to find(local)solutions of mathematical optimization problems.The topological optimization method used is based on the SIMP-Solid IsotropicMaterial with Penalization interpolation.The considered problem is the minimization of compliance/maximization of stiffness,considering the examples of recurrent structures in the literature in 2D and 3D.A density filtering algorithm based on Helmholtz formulation is used.The complete code involves 51 lines of programming and is presented and commented in detail in this article.

Structure optimization of the organ-pipe cavitating nozzle and its erosion ability test on hydrate-bearing sediments

Cavitating jet is a promising drilling rate improvement technology in both the marine natural gas hydrate (NGH) fluidization exploitation method and the integrated radial jet drilling and completion method. In present study, we aim to improve the efficiency of jet erosion and extracting NGH. With a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, the pressure, velocity and cavitation field characteristics of organ-pipe cavitating jet (OPCJ) are analysed. The divergent angle, throat length, and divergent length of OPCJ nozzle are preferred to obtain stronger jet cavitation erosion effect. Laboratory experiments of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) erosion by OPCJ and conical jet (CJ) are conducted to compare and validate the jet erosion performance. The impinging models of OPCJ and CJ are constructed to study the impact characteristics. Results show that the preferred values of divergent angle, throat length, and divergent length are 15°, 1d, and 3d, respectively, in present simulation conditions. For GHBS, the OPCJ possesses the advantages of high efficiency and low energy consumption. Moreover, the OPCJ has higher penetration efficiency, while showing equivalent penetration ability compared to CJ. During the impinging process, the OPCJ can induce stronger impact pressure and turbulence effect, and also shows stronger chambering effect and bottom cleaning ability compared to CJ. This study presents the erosion performance of OPCJ and CJ on GHBS, and provides preliminary insights on the potential field applications in NGH exploitation.

Different effects of economic and structural performance indexes on model construction of structural topology optimization

The objective and constraint functions related to structural optimization designs are classified into economic and performance indexes in this paper.The influences of their different roles in model construction of structural topology optimization are also discussed.Furthermore,two structural topology optimization models,optimizing a performance index under the limitation of an economic index,represented by the minimum compliance with a volume constraint（MCVC）model,and optimizing an economic index under the limitation of a performance index,represented by the minimum weight with a displacement constraint（MWDC）model,are presented.Based on a comparison of numerical example results,the conclusions can be summarized as follows：（1）under the same external loading and displacement performance conditions,the results of the MWDC model are almost equal to those of the MCVC model;（2）the MWDC model overcomes the difficulties and shortcomings of the MCVC model;this makes the MWDC model more feasible in model construction;（3）constructing a model of minimizing an economic index under the limitations of performance indexes is better at meeting the needs of practical engineering problems and completely satisfies safety and economic requirements in mechanical engineering,which have remained unchanged since the early days of mechanical engineering.

A Full-Scale Optimization of a Crop Spatial Planting Structure and its Associated Effects

Driven by the concept of agricultural sustainable development,crop planting structure optimization(CPSO)has become an effective measure to reduce regional crop water demand,ensure food security,and protect the environment.However,traditional optimization of crop planting structures often ignores the impact on regional food supply–demand relations and interprovincial food trading.Therefore,using a system analysis concept and taking virtual water output as the connecting point,this study proposes a theoretical CPSO framework based on a multi-aspect and full-scale evaluation index system.To this end,a water footprint(WF)simulation module denoted as soil and water assessment tool–water footprint(SWAT-WF)is constructed to simulate the amount and components of regional crop WFs.A multi-objective spatial CPSO model with the objectives of maximizing the regional economic water productivity(EWP),minimizing the blue water dependency(BWFrate),and minimizing the grey water footprint(GWFgrey)is established to achieve an optimal planting layout.Considering various benefits,a fullscale evaluation index system based on region,province,and country scales is constructed.Through an entropy weight technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution(TOPSIS)comprehensive evaluation model,the optimal plan is selected from a variety of CPSO plans.The proposed framework is then verified through a case study of the upper–middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin in Gansu province,China.By combining the theory of virtual water trading with system analysis,the optimal planting structure is found.While sacrificing reasonable regional economic benefits,the optimization of the planting structure significantly improves the regional water resource benefits and ecological benefits at different scales.

A Modified Bi-Directional Evolutionary Structural Optimization Procedure with Variable Evolutionary Volume Ratio Applied to Multi-Objective Topology Optimization Problem

Natural frequency and dynamic stiffness under transient loading are two key performances for structural design related to automotive,aviation and construction industries.This article aims to tackle the multi-objective topological optimization problem considering dynamic stiffness and natural frequency using modified version of bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization(BESO).The conventional BESO is provided with constant evolutionary volume ratio(EVR),whereas low EVR greatly retards the optimization process and high EVR improperly removes the efficient elements.To address the issue,the modified BESO with variable EVR is introduced.To compromise the natural frequency and the dynamic stiffness,a weighting scheme of sensitivity numbers is employed to form the Pareto solution space.Several numerical examples demonstrate that the optimal solutions obtained from the modified BESO method have good agreement with those from the classic BESO method.Most importantly,the dynamic removal strategy with the variable EVR sharply springs up the optimization process.Therefore,it is concluded that the modified BESO method with variable EVR can solve structural design problems using multi-objective optimization.

Dynamic Analysis and Structural Optimization of a Novel Palletizing Robot

A novel palletizing robot is presented and developed.By using the Newton-Euler method and the principle that the instantaneous inertial force system could be transformed into a static system,the force equilibrium equations of the whole robot and its subsystem were derived and the robot＇s dynamic models were established.After that,an example simulation was performed by using Matlab software and the structural optimization of the robot＇s key parts were discussed and analyzed in ANSYS platform.The results show that the dynamic models are correct and can be helpful for the design,validation and kinetic control based on dynamics of this kind of palletizing robots.

Shape and Size Optimization of Truss Structures under Frequency Constraints Based on Hybrid Sine Cosine Firefly Algorithm

Shape and size optimization with frequency constraints is a highly nonlinear problem withmixed design variables,non-convex search space,and multiple local optima.Therefore,a hybrid sine cosine firefly algorithm(HSCFA)is proposed to acquire more accurate solutions with less finite element analysis.The full attraction model of firefly algorithm(FA)is analyzed,and the factors that affect its computational efficiency and accuracy are revealed.A modified FA with simplified attraction model and adaptive parameter of sine cosine algorithm(SCA)is proposed to reduce the computational complexity and enhance the convergence rate.Then,the population is classified,and different populations are updated by modified FA and SCA respectively.Besides,the random search strategy based on Lévy flight is adopted to update the stagnant or infeasible solutions to enhance the population diversity.Elitist selection technique is applied to save the promising solutions and further improve the convergence rate.Moreover,the adaptive penalty function is employed to deal with the constraints.Finally,the performance of HSCFA is demonstrated through the numerical examples with nonstructural masses and frequency constraints.The results show that HSCFA is an efficient and competitive tool for shape and size optimization problems with frequency constraints.

Design and Structure Optimization of Plenum Chamber with Airfoil Baffle to Improve Its Outlet Velocity Uniformity in Heat Setting Machines

The plenum chamber of a heat setting machine is a key structure for distributing hot air to different air channels.Its outlet velocity uniformity directly determines the heating uniformity of textiles,significantly affecting the heat setting performance.In a traditional heat setting machine,the outlet airflow maldistribution of the plenum chamber still exists.In this study,a novel plenum chamber with an airfoil baffle was established to improve the uniformity of the velocity distribution at the outlet in a heat setting machine.The structural influence of the plenum chamber on the velocity distribution was investigated using a computational fluid dynamics program.It was found that a chamber with a smaller outlet partition thickness had a better outlet velocity uniformity.The structural optimization of the plenum chamber was conducted using the particle swarm optimization algorithm.The outlet partition thickness,the transverse distance and the longitudinal distance of the optimized plenum chamber were 20,686.2 and 274.6 mm,respectively.Experiments were carried out.The experimental and simulated results showed that the optimized plenum chamber with an airfoil baffle could improve the outlet velocity uniformity.The air outlet velocity uniformity index of the optimized plenum chamber with an airfoil baffle was 4.75%higher than that of the plenum chamber without an airfoil baffle and 5.98%higher than that of the conventional chamber with a square baffle in a commercial heat setting machine.

3D numerical simulation and structural optimization of the rod baffle heat exchanger

Because of the complexities of fluid dynamics equations and the structure of heat exchangers, few theoretical solutions have been acquired to specify the shell side characteristics of the rod baffle heat exchanger （RBHE）. Based on the platform of PHEONICS version 3.5.1, a three-dimensional numerical method for predicting the turbulent fluid flow behavior in the shell side of the rod baffle heat exchangers is developed in this paper. With this method, modeling of the tube bundle is carried out based on the porous media concept using volumetric porosities and applicable flow resistance correlations. Turbulence effects are modeled using a standard κ-ε model. It is shown that the simulation results and experimental results are in good agreement in the shell side. The maximum absolute deviation value of pressure drops is less than 5%, and that of the heat transfer coefficients is less than 8%. Furthermore, the numerical model is used to optimize the structure of the RBHE and improves its performance.

Parametric Structural Optimization of 2D Complex Shape Based on Isogeometric Analysis

The geometric model and the analysis model can be unified together through the isogeometric analysis method,which has potential to achieve seamless integration of CAD and CAE.Parametric design is a mainstream and successful method in CAD field.This method is not continued in simulation and optimization stage because of the model conversion in conventional optimization method based on the finite element analysis.So integration of the parametric modeling and the structural optimization by using isogeometric analysis is a natural and interesting issue.This paper proposed a method to realize a structural optimization of parametric complex shapes by using isogeometric analysis.By the given feature curves and the constraints,a feature frame model is built.Based on the feature frame model,a parametric representation of complex shape is obtained.After adding some auxiliary curves,the feature frame model is divided into many box-like patches in three dimension or four-sided patches in two dimension.These patches are built into parametric patches by using volume interpolation methods such as Coons method.Based on the parametric patches,isogeometic analysis is applied.Thus,the relationships are constructed among the size parameters,the control points and the physical performance parameters.Then the sensitivity matrix could be derived based on the relationships.The size optimization is carried out in the first stage by taking the size parameters as variables.Based on the result of size optimization,shape optimization with the constraints of stress is carried out in the second stage by taking the control points as variables.Serval planar complex shapes are taken as example to verify our method.The results verify that the parametric modeling and structural optimization can be united together without model conversion.Benefit from this,the optimization design can be executed as a dark box operation without considering the concrete modeling and analysis by input of the sizes,constraints and loads.

A novel triple periodic minimal surface-like plate lattice and its data-driven optimization method for superior mechanical properties

Lattice structures can be designed to achieve unique mechanical properties and have attracted increasing attention for applications in high-end industrial equipment,along with the advances in additive manufacturing(AM)technologies.In this work,a novel design of plate lattice structures described by a parametric model is proposed to enrich the design space of plate lattice structures with high connectivity suitable for AM processes.The parametric model takes the basic unit of the triple periodic minimal surface(TPMS)lattice as a skeleton and adopts a set of generation parameters to determine the plate lattice structure with different topologies,which takes the advantages of both plate lattices for superior specific mechanical properties and TPMS lattices for high connectivity,and therefore is referred to as a TPMS-like plate lattice(TLPL).Furthermore,a data-driven shape optimization method is proposed to optimize the TLPL structure for maximum mechanical properties with or without the isotropic constraints.In this method,the genetic algorithm for the optimization is utilized for global search capability,and an artificial neural network(ANN)model for individual fitness estimation is integrated for high efficiency.A set of optimized TLPLs at different relative densities are experimentally validated by the selective laser melting(SLM)fabricated samples.It is confirmed that the optimized TLPLs could achieve elastic isotropy and have superior stiffness over other isotropic lattice structures.

Highly selective photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) to CH_(4) on electron-rich Fe species cocatalyst under visible light irradiation

Efficient photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) to high-calorific-value CH4,an ideal target product,is a blueprint for C_(1)industry relevance and carbon neutrality,but it also faces great challenges.Herein,we demonstrate unprecedented hybrid SiC photocatalysts modified by Fe-based cocatalyst,which are prepared via a facile impregnation-reduction method,featuring an optimized local electronic structure.It exhibits a superior photocatalytic carbon-based products yield of 30.0μmol g^(−1) h^(−1) and achieves a record CH_(4) selectivity of up to 94.3%,which highlights the effectiveness of electron-rich Fe cocatalyst for boosting photocatalytic performance and selectivity.Specifically,the synergistic effects of directional migration of photogenerated electrons and strongπ-back bonding on low-valence Fe effectively strengthen the adsorption and activation of reactants and intermediates in the CO_(2)→CH_(4) pathway.This study inspires an effective strategy for enhancing the multielectron reduction capacity of semiconductor photocatalysts with low-cost Fe instead of noble metals as cocatalysts.

Fault Analysis and Structure Optimization of Traveling Transmission System of Shuttle Car

This paper firstly introduces the common faults of traveling transmission system of shuttle car.Secondly,by analyzing the characteristics of shuttle car structure,the layout of traveling transmission system and the common faults on shuttle car,this paper concludes that"internal holding torque"is the main cause of faults.Finally,this paper proposes a corresponding optimization design scheme to reduce the impact of"internal torque",and calculates the relevant results through the finite element simulation analysis method.Through these analyses and calculations,it is shown that the method can effectively reduce the probability of failure of traveling transmission system of shuttle car.

Optimization of Rural Governance Structure under the Development of New Agricultural Management Entities

The positive impact of the development of new agricultural business entities and their institutional systems on the optimization of rural governance structures can be examined from various perspectives,including the state,market,rural society,urban-rural relations,and grassroots governance structure in rural communities.The development of these new agricultural business entities has not only redefined but also restructured the power distribution and governance patterns in rural developing countries,markets,and villages.The rural social order has evolved into a ternary mutual structure governance pattern,often referred to as the“state market rural”model.This transformation has prompted adjustments in the national economic and social policy structure and management systems at both macro and micro levels.It has led to the reshaping of power dynamics,benefit distribution,and governance structures in both urban and rural areas,resulting in significant changes to the economic and social fabric of rural regions.Furthermore,the grassroots governance structure in rural society,characterized by“township governance and village governance,”is undergoing continuous development and improvement.This transition is marked by a shift towards a collaborative governance structure that encourages diverse participation.Building upon the aforementioned optimizations,the rural governance structure now exhibits new characteristics.These include a more extensive and diverse range of rural governance mechanisms,increased openness in governance processes,and a heightened synergy among various governance mechanisms.This dynamic evolution reflects a richer,more diverse,and more open approach to rural governance,fostering a stronger collaborative effort in the pursuit of effective governance.

Finite Element Analysis and Structural Optimization of a Vibration Feeder Based on ANSYS

Based on ANSYS software, a finite element model is built for the fatigue break of a vibration feeder influenced by an exciting force alternate load. We first study the harmonic response of the feeder and discovers the weak links which is an angle steel junction of side plate, feed inlet and the junction panel between the no-feed side plate and the bottom plate. Then, we carry out structural optimization. A streamlined method for optimum design of a vibration feeder is presented.