Optimal curved fibre orientations of a composite panel with cutout for improved buckling load using the Efficient Global Optimization algorithm

Abstract

Composite structures with cutouts (like panels with holes) are a challenge to design because discontinuities of this kind provoke stress concentrations and become critical regions. With curved fibres, the effect of these discontinuities can be decreased by choosing the fibre paths properly. In this article, fibre-path optimization to improve the buckling load of laminated composite panels with cutouts is studied. Two fibre path parameterizations are tested: the usual curvilinear Cartesian and the radial one, proposed in this article, in which the fibre orientations vary linearly with the Euclidean distance from the centre of the panel. To reduce the simulation costs associated with the optimization, the Efficient Global Optimization (EGO) algorithm is used. EGO is a technique based on a stochastic process approach (Kriging) that approximates expensive-to-evaluate functions and sequentially maximizes the expected improvement to update the surrogate at each iteration. A stiffened panel with a cutout subjected to compression and in-plane shearing loads is analysed. The results show that the buckling load when curved fibres are used is substantially higher than the buckling load for straight-fibre laminates. In addition, the optimization framework indicates a low final computational burden.