Optimum design of composite laminates for maximum buckling load capacity using simulated annealing

This paper presents a method to find globally optimum designs for two-dimensional composite structures subject to given in-plane static loads for which the critical failure mode is buckling. The aim is to maximize the buckling load capacity of laminated composites. For this purpose an improved version of simulated annealing algorithm, which is direct simulated annealing (DSA), was utilized. Fiber orientation in each layer was taken as a design variable. A computer code was developed, and results were obtained for several load cases.