Modeling and analysis of leading edge ribs of an aircraft wing

A method for design of a leading edge rib of a fixed leading edge section of an aircraft wing, the leading edge rib including a plurality of stiffeners, the method comprising:

• generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the fixed leading edge section of the aircraft wing;
• identifying one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners, including:
• extracting a collection of geometry for the leading edge rib from the 3D model of the fixed leading edge section of the aircraft wing, the collection of geometry representing at least the plurality of stiffeners of the leading edge rib;
• and for each geometry of the collection of geometry representing a respective stiffener of the plurality of stiffeners,
• extracting a section cut of the geometry at a plane normal to a midline of the geometry, the section cut forming a cross-section corresponding to and having one or more geometric or inertial properties of the respective stiffener;
• and
• identifying the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the cross-section and thereby the respective stiffener based on a correlation of the cross-section to a generic profile formed by a union of a plurality of different cross-sections;
• performing a computer-aided engineering, structural analysis to predict a failure rate of the leading edge rib under an external load using the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners, and from the failure rate, determining a structural integrity of the leading edge rib under the external load, the structural integrity including a margin of safety of the leading edge rib;
• and when the margin of safety is negative,
• iteratively adjusting the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners based on the margin of safety, and repeating the computer-aided engineering, structural analysis, until the margin of safety is positive;
• and
• updating the 3D model with the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners as adjusted such that the plurality of stiffeners and thereby the leading edge rib are resized within the 3D model.

A computer-readable storage medium for design of a leading edge rib of a fixed leading edge section of an aircraft wing, the leading edge rib including a plurality of stiffeners, the computer-readable storage medium being non-transitory and having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that in response to execution by a processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

• generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the fixed leading edge section of the aircraft wing;
• identify one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners, including the apparatus being caused to:
• extract a collection of geometry for the leading edge rib from the 3D model of the fixed leading edge section of the aircraft wing, the collection of geometry representing at least the plurality of stiffeners of the leading edge rib;
• and for each geometry of the collection of geometry representing a respective stiffener of the plurality of stiffeners,
• extract a section cut of the geometry at a plane normal to a midline of the geometry, the section cut forming a cross-section corresponding to and having one or more geometric or inertial properties of the respective stiffener;
• and
• identify the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the cross-section and thereby the respective stiffener based on a correlation of the cross-section to a generic profile formed by a union of a plurality of different cross-sections;
• perform a computer-aided engineering, structural analysis to predict a failure rate of the leading edge rib under an external load using the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners, and from the failure rate, determine a structural integrity of the leading edge rib under the external load, the structural integrity including a margin of safety of the leading edge rib;
• and when the margin of safety is negative,
• iteratively adjust the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners based on the margin of safety, and repeat the computer-aided engineering, structural analysis, until the margin of safety is positive;
• and
• update the 3D model with the one or more geometric or inertial properties of the plurality of stiffeners as adjusted such that the plurality of stiffeners and thereby the leading edge rib are resized within the 3D model.