Preliminary design of compression stiffened panel using structural index concept

Compression stiffened panel are the reinforced skins that are mainly subjected to axial compressive load and widely used in aerospace structures. Iterative design loops are the common methods for this type of structures. Design methodology based on structural index concept is a coupled design and analysis method. In this method detail design of the compression stiffened panel is fully accomplished based on the key parameters of structural index and material properties of the panel. The complete design is obtained in single stagein a analytical and explict manner. In this paper the design methodology of stiffened panel using structural index concept is analyzed that could be applied on selective configuration of compression stiffened panel (including selection of stiffener type and the type of the panel: integral or skin-stringer ones). The results extracted and modified from two different approaches to cope with the results of common iteration methods that currently used in the preliminary sizing of stiffened panel. This procedure could be regarded as a near optimum design and therefore would be more conservative with respect to common methods. Final results of the derived methodology are compared with reported and F.E.M results. The results could be regarded as an acceptable design further more they can be used as appropriate starting point in numerical optimization methods.