Optimization of Damaged Composite Plates Under Buckling and Post buckling condition in Hygrothermal Environment employing an Inverse Hyperbolic Shear Deformation Theory

Abstract

This paper deals with the incorporation of Inverse Hyperbolic Shear Deformation Theory (IHSDT), optimization with Unified Particle Swarm Optimization (UPSO) method and damage incorporation in buckling analysis of composite structures which all has received no attention yet. In the present investigation, buckling and post buckling analysis under hygrothermal loads using IHSDT, optimization of the critical buckling temperature of laminated plates considering the fiber orientation as design variable by employing a UPSO algorithm, effect of damage in buckling behaviour using an anisotropic damage model, etc. of laminated composite plates are discussed. FEM formulation and programming in MATLAB environment have been done. Optimized critical buckling temperature of laminated plates with internal flaw is found out with the fiber orientation as design variable. The outcomes and remarks from this work will assist to address some key issues concerning composite structures.