Metamodeling Methodology for Postbuckling Simulation of Damaged Composite Stiffened Structures with Physical Validation

A metamodeling methodology has been proposed for postbuckling simulation of stiffened composite structures with integrated degradation scenarios. The presence of artificial damage between the outer skin and stiffeners has been simulated as softening of the material properties in predetermined regions of the structure. The proposed methodology for the fast design procedure of axially or torsionally loaded stiffened composite structures is based on response surface methodology (RSM) and design and analysis of computer experiments (DACE). Numerical analyses have been parametrically sampled by means of the ANSYS/LS-DYNA probabilistic design toolbox extracting the load-shortening response curves in the preselected domain of interest. These response curves have been simplified using piecewise linear approximation identifying the buckling and postbuckling stiffness ratios along with the values of the skin and the stiffener buckling loads. Three stiffened panel designs and a closed box structure with preselected damage scenarios have been elaborated and validated with the tests performed within the COCOMAT project. The resulting design procedure provides a time-effective design tool for preliminary study and for elaboration of the optimum design guidelines for composite stiffened structures with material degradation restraints.