Internal Structural Design Optimization for a Medium-Class Helicopter through the Load Path Prediction

An internal layout design framework for a medium-class rotorcraft fuselage is attempted to build based on the idea of the energy-based load-transfer index. Load-transfer index will quantify the way in which the flight loads are distributed among the fuselage internal structural members. The static load-transfer analysis will identify an inefficient transfer region in the baseline fuselage configuration, and the resulting layout refinement will lead to a more unified load-transfer pattern and allow an additional weight reduction in the subsequent thickness-optimization stage. For a UH-60A aircraft, the existing literature provides well-established information for an airframe layout, finite-element modeling guideline, and ground vibration test correlation.