Stiffening structure and method for stiffening a sheet element

A stiffening system comprising:

• a sheet element,
• a stiffening structure for a sheet element comprising:
• at least two stiffening modules,
• wherein each of the at least two stiffening modules comprises a flange and at least a web, and
• wherein the at least two stiffening modules are connected to one another via their respective flanges, sequentially along a load path adapted to withstand stresses, such that the stiffening modules have a combined effect of stiffening and reinforcing the sheet element along the load path,
• wherein the stiffening structure is attached to the sheet element along the load path,
• wherein the at least two stiffening modules of the stiffening structure have contact surfaces and are attached to the sheet element via the contact surfaces, wherein the contact surfaces are on the webs respectively and the entirety of the contact surfaces are in contact with the sheet element,
• wherein the load path for the sheet element has been determined in a topology optimized manner on the basis of a stress-optimized simulation and/or calculations, and
• wherein the load path is not rectilinear with respect to the surface plane of the sheet element, does not extend in a straight line along the sheet element, but comprises at least one change in direction within the surface plane of the sheet element.