Effect of Rectangular/Circular Cutouts on Thermal Buckling Load Optimization of Angle-Ply Laminated Thin Plates

Abstract

This paper deals with thermal buckling load optimization of symmetrically laminated angle-ply thin plates with centrally located different cutouts subjected to a uniform temperature load rise. The optimum results are given for maximum buckling temperature and the fibre orientation is adopted as design variable. The results are obtained for the various cutout geometries such as rectangle and circle. The modified feasible direction (MFD) method is used for the optimization routine. Therefore a program based on FORTRAN is used. Finally, the effects of cutout areas, plate aspect ratios and boundary conditions on the optimum results are demonstrated.