OPTIMIZATION OF SYMMETRICAL LAMINATES FOR MAXIMUM BUCKLING LOAD INCLUDING THE EFFECTS OF BENDING-TWISTING COUPLING

Finite element solutions are presented for the optimal design of symme trically laminated rectangular plates subjected to a combination of si mply supported, clamped and free boundary conditions. The design objec tive is the maximization of the biaxial buckling load by determining t he fibre orientations optimally, with the effects of bending-twisting coupling taken into account. The finite element method coupled with an optimization routine is employed in analysing and optimizing the lami nated plate designs. The effects of boundary conditions, the number of layers and bending-twisting coupling on the optimal ply angles and th e buckling load are numerically studied.