The GAP methodology: A new way to design composite structures

Florian Neveu (1) , Bruno Castanié (1) , Philippe Olivier (1)

1 ICA - Institut Clément Ader

With the growing demand for composite parts, more and more designs or re-designs are required to use such materials. This paper presents a new methodology for designing composite structures by considering three essential variables: the geometry, the architecture and the manufacturing process. The methodology proves to be useful during the pre-design phase of the project, when important decisions have to be taken regarding the choice of the manufacturing route and the investments needed. The methodology starts from the design (the geometry of which relies on the designer's creativity) and then gives clear insight into the possibilities offered by the concepts from a composite point of view. These include the types of architecture and technologies that are compatible as well as the manufacturing processes. The GAP methodology (Geometry, Architecture, Process) is intended to provide an efficient way to start a composite project by giving a broad overview of the possibilities and by reducing the risks of poor decisions at the very beginning of the project. In this article, innovative composite structure design issues will be presented before the methodology itself is explained. Two generic case studies are then presented to illustrate how the GAP methodology works.

Mots clés: Manufacturing processes; Composite materials; Design methodology; Conceptual design

Domaines: Génie mécanique [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des structures [physics.class-ph]

Florian Neveu, Bruno Castanié, Philippe Olivier. The GAP methodology: A new way to design composite structures. Materials & Design, 2019, 172, pp.107755. ⟨10.1016/j.matdes.2019.107755⟩. ⟨hal-02104764⟩