Optimization-Based Design of Lightweight Structures for Aerospace Applications

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive review of optimization-based design methodologies for lightweight structures in aerospace applications. The ongoing pursuit of weight reduction while maintaining structural integrity remains fundamental to aerospace engineering, driven by economic and environmental imperatives. The study examines the evolution of materials from traditional aluminium alloys to advanced composites and metamaterials, highlighting their weight reduction potential across various aerospace components. Different optimization techniques are analysed, including classical gradient-based methods, evolutionary algorithms, and topology optimization approaches, with particular attention to their strengths, limitations, and suitable applications. The integration of multidisciplinary design optimization frameworks is explored, emphasizing the importance of aero structural coupling and cross-disciplinary considerations. The paper discusses computational challenges in large-scale optimization and material/manufacturing constraints that influence practical implementation. Case studies demonstrate successful applications across aircraft, spacecraft, and propulsion systems, achieving weight reductions of 20-50% compared to conventional designs. Finally, emerging trends are identified, including bio-inspired optimization, adaptive structures, quantum computing applications, and multi-scale modelling approaches that promise to further advance lightweight structural design in aerospace.