Structures and Materials
Computational Mechanics
High-fidelity finite element models for beam/plate/shells
Non-conformal mesh modeling with various connection approaches
Static, buckling, vibration and pre-stressed vibration responses of structures under mechanical and thermal loads
Relevant Publications:
Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K. "Buckling Analysis of Unitized Curvilinearly Stiffened Composite Panels, '' Composite Structures, Vol. 135, 2016, pp. 365-382, DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2015.09.041
Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K. "Vibrational Analysis of Curvilinearly Stiffened Composite Panels Subjected to In-plane Loads'' AIAA Journal, Vol. 55, No. 3, 2017, pp. 981-997, DOI: 10.2514/1.J055047
Zhao, W. and Mohammed Abir Mahdi, “Buckling Load Maximization of Stiffened Plates using Level Set Topology Optimization and Inverse Isoparametric Mapping Algorithm,” AIAA Aviation 2023 Forum, San Diego, CA & Online, June 12-16, 2023 DOI: 10.2514/6.2023-4380
Advanced Composite Materials
Analysis and Optimization
Structural / thermal analysis of composite laminated structures
Tow-steered varying fiber path angles
Design for fabrication by including manufacturing constraints
Manufacturing and Testing
Hand layup of glass-fiber laminates and pull testing
VAT_expo_VT_finalv3.pdfRelevant Publications:
Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K., “Prestressed Vibration of Stiffened Variable Angle Tow Laminated Plate,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 6, pp.2575–2593, 2019, DOI: 10.2514/1.J057719
Zhao,W., Singh, K. A, and Kapania, R. K., "Thermal Buckling Analysis and Optimization of Curvilinearly Stiffened Plates with Variable Angle Tow Laminates," AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets , 2018, DOI: 10.2514/1.A34378
Inflatable Structures
Studied pressure induced pre-stress stiffness inflatable wing and aeroelastic responses including static aeroelastic deformations and flutter of inflatable wings (Dyneema and Nylon 2B wing model)
More details can be found in the following papers:
Zhao, W., Miglani, J., Desai, S., Kapania, R. K., Schetz, J. A., Aris, A. and Panwar, S. S., “Structural and Aeroelastic Design, Analysis, and Experiments of Inflatable Airborne Wings,” AIAA SciTech 2021, January, 2021, Virtual Event, AIAA 2021-1817, [DOI:10.2514/6.2021-1817]
Shardul Panwar, Rikin Gupta, Azwan Aris, Taewoo Nam, Jitish Miglani, Wei Zhao, Rakesh Kapania, "3D-Photogrammetric Modal Testing and Data Analysis of a Cantilevered Inflatable Wing," AIAA SciTech forum 2022
Fabricated wing under static testing
Flutter Test of Tethered Inflated Wing
Additive Manufacturing Structures
Metal Additive Manufacturing (Additive Friction Stir Deposition)
Understanding residual stress and structural distortion using Abaqus/Standard based thermo-mechanical analysis
Investigating substrate pretension and preheat on residual stress and structural distortion
MELD_project -poster.pdf