A PLAtform for Topology Optimisation incorporating Novel, Large-Scale, Free Material Optimisation and Mixed Integer Programming Methods

Project Information

PLATO-N

Grant agreement ID: 30717

Start date 1 October 2006

End date 31 December 2009

Funded under

• Aeronautics and Space: thematic priority 4 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006.

Total cost € 2 874 088,00

EU contribution € 2 357 159,00

Coordinated by

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DENMARK
Denmark

Objective

Improving the overall arrangement of materials offers the largest potential for saving structural weight in airframe design. Tools for topology optimisation support these early, important decisions by suggesting optimal material distributions. Existing commercial topology optimisation software does not allow the full potential of composite materials to be exploited in air-fame design.

This requires new tools and unconventional optimisation algorithms integrated with modelling studies and problem analysis, [1] which are all targeted at the specific requirements within aerospace structural design and [2] that enable multiple constraints as well as local constraints to be considered for real-world problem sizes. PLATO-N will provide a significantly improved basis for the operational integration of optimisation assistance as a standard procedure in the conceptual design process for the European aerospace industry.

The work-plan includes basic research on large-scale convex optimisation algorithms, convex approximations of non-convex constraints, free material optimisation with multidisciplinary constraints (stress, displacements, buckling, etc.). PLATO-N will be validated against real case studies and will be implemented as a suite of software, integrated in a common environment, and its improvement in performance will be benchmarked against state-of-the art commercial products.

Major deliverables are:
1. a generic software platform for topology optimisation, PLATO
2. a sample case library PLATOlib, a public benchmarking library for the topology optimisation community,
3. a software system PLATO-N, integrating implementations of algorithms and methods developed in the project,
4. technical reports and evaluations on mathematical methods and algorithms, which greatly improve efficiency and scope of topology optimisation.

The PLATO-N software will be used by the industrial partners and commercialisation is a short term objective.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › manufacturing engineering
• engineering and technology › materials engineering › composites
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › aerospace engineering › aircraft
• natural sciences › mathematics › pure mathematics › topology
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › aerospace engineering › aeronautical engineering

Programme(s)

• FP6-AEROSPACE - Aeronautics and Space: thematic priority 4 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006.

Topic(s)

• AERO-1.1 - Strengthening competitiveness

Call for proposal

FP6-2005-AERO-1
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project

Coordinator

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DENMARK

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Anker Engelundsvej 101A ; KGS. LYNGBY ; Denmark
• Total cost: No data

Participants (10)

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC - INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION THEORY AND AUTOMATION

Czechia

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Pod vodarenskou vezi 4 ; PRAHA 8
• Total cost: No data

ALTAIR ENGINEERING LIMITED

United Kingdom

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Vanguard Centre, Sir William Lyons Road ; COVENTRY
• Total cost: No data

RISC SOFTWARE GMBH

Austria

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Hauptstrasse 119 ; HAGENBERG
• Total cost: No data

EADS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, MILITARY AIR SYSTEMS

Germany

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: (address for courier): Warenannahme Gebäude 6.1, Ludwig-Bölkow-Allee, 85521 Ottobrunn, Germany ; 801160 MUNICH
• Total cost: No data

AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED

United Kingdom

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: NEW FILTON HOUSE, GOLF COURSE LANE ; BRISTOL
• Total cost: No data

EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

Germany

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Industriestr. 4 ; 86607 DONAUWOERTH
• Total cost: No data

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

United Kingdom

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Edgbaston ; BIRMINGHAM
• Total cost: No data

FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITÄT ERLANGEN-NÜRNBERG

Germany

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Schlossplatz 4 ; 3520 ERLANGEN
• Total cost: No data

TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.

Israel

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: TECHNION CITY ; 32000 HAIFA
• Total cost: No data

UNIVERSITÄT BAYREUTH

Germany

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Universitätsstr. 30 ; BAYREUTH
• Total cost: No data