Stiffness enhancement methods for thin-walled aircraft structures: A review

The rapid development of next-generation spacecraft technology has placed increasingly stringent requirements on the lightweight level of structural components. As a result, many aerospace structures are presented in the form of thin-walled structures. Under complex and extreme thermal service environments, thin-walled structures of aircraft are susceptible to thermal buckling failure and vibration caused by reduced stiffness. Therefore, how to achieve stiffness enhancement in thin-walled structures has become a challenging issue of widespread concern in the field of advanced materials and structural manufacturing. The main contribution of this work is to provide a comprehensive review of the stiffness enhancement methods for thin-walled aircraft components in recent years. The passive stiffness enhancement methods based on laminated plates and stiffeners of thin-walled structures are discussed first; then the active stiffness enhancement methods based on diverse smart materials are reviewed. The key technical challenges that need to be addressed in achieving passive and active stiffness enhancement in thin-walled structures are systematically analyzed. Finally, the development prospects and applications of smart materials for stiffness enhancement in thin-walled aircraft structures are discussed. This paper aims to provide a reference for future research and development in the field of aerospace equipment and contribute to related studies in the field.