Forum

All discussions

iVABS: integrated environment for parametrized composite blade design and optimization

  1. Haodong Du

    iVABS: integrated environment for parametrized composite blade design and optimization

    This tutorial will introduce a workflow to design and optimize composite blades with PreVABS+VABS+GEBT+gmsh+msgpi+Dakota. PreVABS is a parametrized composite design tool. VABS is a commercial code for cross-sectional property analysis. GEBT is a beam structural analysis tool developed by Dr. Qi Wang and Prof. Wenbin Yu. msgpi is a Python interface for VABS. Gmsh is an open source CAD software. Dakota is a open source tool for optimization developed by sandia national lab.

    flow.png

    Documentation

    PreVABS documentation: https://pages.github.rcac.purdue.edu/wenbinyugroup/prevabs_doc/

    Installation

    1. Download https://cdmhub.org/resources/1921. The package include PreVABS+VABS+GEBT+msgpi+gmsh+Dakota. An installer and a portable package is provided.
    2. Install.
      • For the installer, everything will be set once your finished installing. We recommend installing it in a non-elevated folder otherwise Administration permission would be needed.
      • For the portable package, extract it anywhere; you can run env.cmd to set environment variables or manually set environment variables according to the file.
        I will use VABS-IDE-root to denote the installation path.
      • Prerequisite: Python and Numpy package is needed for the Dakota examples.
    3. Request VABS license from http://analyswift.com/software-trial/. VABS is a commercial code. Put the license in iVABS-root. 

    Example 1: Capability of PreVABS (UH60A airfoil)

    This figure shows the construction model of PreVABS input. You should prepare 5 input files: basepoints, baseline.xml, layup.xml, material.xml, section.xml. Current version of PreVABS also support combining all inputs in a single XML file.

    prevabs.jpg

    1. Get into iVABS-rootexamplesex_uh60a
    2. Open a command prompt.
    3. Run prevabs -i uh60a_section.xml -h -v -e
    4. This will build the airfoil model and run VABS. The cross-sectional property will be stored in uh60a_section.sg.K. Gmsh GUI will be opened to display the model.

    airfoil.jpg

    The table below shows the 4×4 stiffness matrix for of classical beam model.

    4.2369E+07 −8.1467E+03 4.6272E+05 −1.7006E+07
    −8.1467E+03 1.6166E+05 −7.2404E+01 2.2351E+03
    4.6272E+05 −7.2404E+01 1.4981E+05 −1.8577E+05
    −1.7006E+07 2.2351E+03 −1.8577E+05 1.2608E+07

     

    For more examples，see https://cdmhub.org/groups/yugroup/wiki/MainPage/GettingstartedwithPreVABS:parametrizedcompositebladedesignandoptimization