Combined Structural and Control Optimum Design of Fuzzy Composite Structures

Abstract

In most practical applications, the structural and material parameters of composite structures vary considerably and are subject to uncertainties, mainly due to the uncontrollable aspects associated with the manufacturing of composite materials. In many cases, the loads acting on a composite structure may not be known precisely. Fuzzy composite structures involve fuzzy uncertainties, which means that the structural and material parameters and the loads, as well as the model of the composite structure, are fuzzy. In these cases, fuzzy set theories, fuzzy finite element analysis, and fuzzy control theory can be used to model, analyze, and control complex fuzzy composite structures. Because the design of efficient and high-performance structural systems is of fundamental interest to engineers, systematic methodologies are to be used for the combined structural and active control system synthesis in many applications. To satisfy any desired structural and control performance characteristics of fuzzy laminated composite structures, the optimum design of the fuzzy system subject to specific structural and control constraints is to be considered as described in this work. The combined structural and control optimum design of both composite beams and composite plates are explored in this work and two numerical applications are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of the methodology presented.