Representative stiffened panels are optimized such that multiple buckling modes and failure (using open hole allowables) occur within a range of 10% of the lowest buckling load. This implies the panels cannot be loaded up to the buckling load without risking failure, hence vibrational correlation testing was used to estimate the buckling loads and modes. At the same time, a finite element model was created using the Carrera Unified Formulation. This model was validated using the tests and a good correlation between both was observed. Three panels were manufactured and each panel was put in place for testing twice. Each time a panel was put in place, the test was repeated three times. This allowed us to get a ballpark estimate for the variation due to replicas of the panel, the test set-up and repeating the tests.

This paper presents an aeroelastic tailoring procedure used to design wing structures to meet strength, buckling, and flutter requirements simultaneously. The optimization process is divided into a continuous optimization step using lamination parameters, and a discrete optimization step, which produces detailed blended stacking sequences satisfying complex design and manufacturing guidelines. The implementation of the continuous optimization step benefits from recent advances in lamination parameter constraints, allowing for close approximation of realistic directional stiffness requirements. In the final discrete optimization step, a novel and efficient parametrization scheme called the Slice and Swap Method is developed. The scheme provides a design space that is simple to implement, allows for an ample family of blended stacking sequences to be explored, and includes a number of design requirements satisfied by suitable encoding. The efficiency of the aeroelastic tailoring procedure is demonstrated via a sample application to a realistic industry-scale regional jet wing.