Optimum design of laminated composite rectangular plates with cutouts using genetic algorithm

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:arial;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">Optimum design of the laminated composite rectangular plate with specified frequencies is attempted in the presence of elliptical cutouts. Orientation of the ellipse with respect to the reference axis, aspect ratio of the cutout, orientation of plies, thickness of plies and material of the plies are used as design parameters with constraints on natural frequencies. As a first step, investigations of free vibration response of composite rectangular plate in the presence of elliptical cutout are studied and some typical results are presented. First-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is used to account for the transverses hear stresses Nine noded quadrilateral isoperimetric element is used in the finite element formation. Genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to identify the optimum variables. Numerical results are presented for rectangular plates with simply supported edge conditions. The results show that GA is a viable tool for optimum design of laminated composite plates with cutouts.</span>