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

Optimum design of the laminated composite plate 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 a constraint on natural frequencies. Thus an investigation of the free vibrational response of composite plates with an elliptical cutout is studied, and some results presented. First-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is used to account for the transverse shear stresses. A nine noded quadrilateral isoparametric element is used in the finite element formulation. A genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to locate the optimum. Numerical results are presented for square plates with simply supported and clamped edge conditions. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.