Methods and systems for modeling stress intensity solutions for integrally stiffened panels

• US 20060089823A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sermersheim, Jeffrey S., Meyer, Eric S., Fields, Scott S., Knopp, Ken L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]

Abstract

Systems and methods for modeling stress intensity solutions of integrally stiffened panels are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes serving a process over the internet. The process includes taking a problem definition, automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition, automatically verifying a suitability condition of the finite element model, automatically solving a computational solution using the finite element model and automatically validating the computational solution. In one aspect, providing a problem definition includes at least one of providing a geometry definition, providing a crack definition, and providing load and constraint definition.

Claims

1. A method of performing stress intensity computations, comprising:

providing a problem definition;

automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition;

automatically verifying a suitability condition of the finite element model;

automatically solving a computational solution using the finite element model; and

automatically validating the computational solution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a problem definition includes at least one of providing a geometry definition, providing a crack definition, and providing a load and constraint definition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition includes automatically forming a finite element model wherein the problem definition includes at least one crack.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition includes:

building a panel cross-section;

adding at least one crack to the panel cross-section;

extruding a first cross-section to build a full panel model;

building a computational mesh; and

applying at least one of a load and a constraint.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically verifying a suitability condition of the finite element model includes automatically verifying at least one of a validity and a solvability of the finite element model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically validating the computational solution includes automatically determining a numerical convergence of the computational solution.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising extracting one or more results from the computational solution.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating one or more stress intensities from the computational solution.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the computational solution.

10. A computer program product adapted to perform stress intensity computations, comprising:

a first portion adapted to provide a problem definition;

a second portion adapted to automatically form a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition;

a third portion adapted to automatically verify a suitability condition of the finite element model;

a fourth portion adapted to automatically solve a computational solution using the finite element model; and

a fifth portion adapted to automatically validate the computational solution.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the first portion is further adapted to provide a problem definition that includes at least one of a geometry definition, a crack definition, and a load and constraint definition.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the second portion is further adapted to automatically form a finite element model wherein the problem definition includes at least one crack.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the second portion is further adapted to automatically form a finite element model by a process that includes:

building a panel cross-section;

adding at least one crack to the panel cross-section;

extruding a first cross-section to build a full panel model;

building a computational mesh; and

applying at least one of a load and a constraint.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the third portion is further adapted to automatically verify at least one of a validity and a solvability of the finite element model.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the third portion is further adapted to automatically determine a numerical convergence of the computational solution.

16. A method of performing stress intensity computations, comprising:

providing a plurality of servers, each server being operatively coupled to at least one other server and having an application service;

providing a plurality of client computers, each client computer being operatively coupled to at least one of the servers;

providing a problem definition from a respective one of the client computers to a corresponding one of the servers;

using the application service of the corresponding one of the servers, determining a resource availability of the corresponding one of the servers and if the resource availability is sufficient, performing an application corresponding to the problem definition on the corresponding one of the servers;

if the resource availability of the corresponding one of the servers is not sufficient, using the application service of the corresponding one of the servers, determining a second resource availability of at least one other server and if the second resource availability is sufficient, performing the application corresponding to the problem definition on the other server;

wherein performing the application includes;

automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition;

automatically verifying a suitability condition of the finite element model;

automatically solving a computational solution using the finite element model; and

automatically validating the computational solution.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a problem definition includes at least one of providing a geometry definition, providing a crack definition, and providing a load and constraint definition.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition includes automatically forming a finite element model wherein the problem definition includes at least one crack.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition includes:

building a panel cross-section;

adding at least one crack to the panel cross-section;

extruding a first cross-section to build a full panel model;

building a computational mesh; and

applying at least one of a load and a constraint.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically verifying a suitability condition of the finite element model includes automatically verifying at least one of a validity and a solvability of the finite element model.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically validating the computational solution includes automatically determining a numerical convergence of the computational solution.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a plurality of servers, each server being operatively coupled to at least one other server includes providing a plurality of servers operatively coupled by a communication link that includes at least one of a web, a global computer communication network, and a wireless link.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a plurality of client computers, each client computer being operatively coupled to at least one of the servers includes providing a plurality of client computers, each client computer being operatively coupled to at least one of the servers by a communication link that includes at least one of a web, a global computer communication network, and a wireless link.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the servers includes a queue, and wherein the application service is further adapted to store the application in the queue if the resource availability and the second resource availability are insufficient.

25. A system for performing stress intensity computations, comprising:

a plurality of servers, each server being operatively coupled to at least one other server and having an application service and a queue;

a plurality of client computers, each client computer being operatively coupled to at least one of the servers and adapted to provide a problem definition input by a user to a corresponding one of the servers;

wherein the application service is adapted to determine a resource availability of the corresponding one of the servers and if the resource availability is sufficient, to perform an application corresponding to the problem definition on the corresponding one of the servers;

wherein if the resource availability of the corresponding one of the servers is not sufficient, the application service is further adapted to determine a second resource availability of at least one other server and if the second resource availability is sufficient, to perform the application corresponding to the problem definition on the other server;

wherein the application service is further adapted to perform the application by a method that includes;

automatically forming a finite element model at least partially based on the problem definition;

automatically verifying a suitability condition of the finite element model;

automatically solving a computational solution using the finite element model; and

automatically validating the computational solution.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the application service is further adapted to automatically form a finite element model wherein the problem definition includes at least one crack.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the application service is further adapted to:

build a panel cross-section;

add at least one crack to the panel cross-section;

extrude a first cross-section to build a full panel model;

build a computational mesh; and

apply at least one of a load and a constraint.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the application service is further adapted to automatically verify at least one of a validity and a solvability of the finite element model.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the application service is further adapted to automatically determine a numerical convergence of the computational solution.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of servers are operatively coupled by a communication link that includes at least one of a web, a global computer communication network, and wireless link.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of client computers are operatively coupled to at least one of the servers by a communication link that includes at least one of a web, a global computer communication network, and a wireless link.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the servers includes a queue, and wherein the application service is further adapted to store the application in the queue if the resource availability and the second resource availability are insufficient.