Design for uncertainty of aerospace structures

The aim of this work is to present a general overview of state-of-the-art related to design for uncertainty with a focus on aerospace structures. In particular, a simulation on a FCCZ lattice cell and on the profile shape of a nozzle will be performed. Optimization under uncertainty is characterized by the need to make decisions without complete knowledge of the problem data. When dealing with a complex problem, non-linearity, or optimization, two main issues are raised: the uncertainty of the feasibility of the solution and the uncertainty of the objective value of the function. In the first part, the Design Of Experiments (DOE) methodologies, Uncertainty Quantification (UQ), and then Uncertainty optimization will be deepened. The second part will show an application of the previous theories on through a commercial software. Nowadays multiobjective optimization on high non-linear problem can be a powerful tool to approach new concept solutions or to develop cutting-edge design. In this thesis an effective improvement have been reached on a rocket nozzle. Future work could include the introduction of multi scale modelling, multiphysics approach and every strategy useful to simulate as much possible real operative condition of the studied design.

Computational design of a new type of sandwich cross-section for a defined solution of a tree-like column produced by wire-and-arc additive manufacturing

When it comes to designing a structure, architects and engineers want to join forces in order to create and build the most beautiful and efficient building. From finding new shapes and forms to optimizing the stability and the resistance, there is a constant link to be made between both professions. In architecture, there has always been a particular interest in creating new shapes and types of a structure inspired by many different fields, one of them being nature itself. In engineering, the selection of optimum has always dictated the way of thinking and designing structures. This mindset led through studies to the current best practices in construction. However, both disciplines were limited by the traditional manufacturing constraints at a certain point. Over the last decades, much progress was made from a technological point of view, allowing to go beyond today's manufacturing constraints. With the emergence of Wire-and-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) combined with Algorithmic-Aided Design (AAD), architects and engineers are offered new opportunities to merge architectural beauty and structural efficiency. Both technologies allow for exploring and building unusual and complex structural shapes in addition to a reduction of costs and environmental impacts. Through this study, the author wants to make use of previously mentioned technologies and assess their potential, first to design an aesthetically appreciated tree-like column with the idea of secondly proposing a new type of standardized and optimized sandwich cross-section to the construction industry. Parametric algorithms to model the dendriform column and the new sandwich cross-section are developed and presented in detail. A catalog draft of the latter and methods to establish it are then proposed and discussed. Finally, the buckling behavior of this latter is assessed considering standard steel and WAAM material properties.

Lipschitz regularity for weak solutions of parabolic p-Laplacian type equations in certain subriemannian structures

The main aim of the thesis is to prove the local Lipschitz regularity of the weak solutions to a class of parabolic PDEs modeled on the parabolic p-Laplacian. This result is well known in the Euclidean case and recently has been extended in the Heisenberg group, while higher regularity results are not known in subriemannian parabolic setting. In this thesis we will consider vector fields more general than those in the Heisenberg setting, introducing some technical difficulties. To obtain our main result we will use a Moser-like iteration. Due to the non linearity of the equation, we replace the usual parabolic cylinders with new ones, whose dimension also depends on the L^p norm of the solution. In addition, we deeply simplify the iterative procedure, using the standard Sobolev inequality, instead of the parabolic one.

Computational Analysis Based on Parametric Models of Historic Masonry Vaulted Structures Strengthened by Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials

Historic vaulted masonry structures often need strengthening interventions that can effectively improve their structural performance, especially during seismic events, and at the same time respect the existing setting and the modern conservation requirements. In this context, the use of innovative materials such as fiber-reinforced composite materials has been shown as an effective solution that can satisfy both aspects. This work aims to provide insight into the computational modeling of a full-scale masonry vault strengthened by fiber-reinforced composite materials and analyze the influence of the arrangement of the reinforcement on the efficiency of the intervention. At first, a parametric model of a cross vault focusing on a realistic representation of its micro-geometry is proposed. Then numerical modeling, simulating the pushover analyses, of several barrel vaults reinforced with different reinforcement configurations is performed. Finally, the results are collected and discussed in terms of force-displacement curves obtained for each proposed configuration.