OPTIMUM THERMOELASTIC DESIGN OF LAMINATED PLATES

A thermoelastic optimization procedure is proposed for the design of symmetric. laminated, fiber-reinforced plates. A maximum stiffness criterion is employed, wherein the ply orientations are found by minimizing the complementary strain energy. Approximate solutions for the thermoelastic response are obtained using the Rayleigh-Ritz procedure. Optimization is performed via a quasi-Newton method, with the initial point selected using a random jump routine. Numerical results are presented for simply supported plates subject to a temperature distribution that varies linearly in the thickness direction. Results are given for various composite materials, and the optimum thermoelastic solutions are compared with designs for mechanically loaded laminated plates.