Optimization of Laminated Composites with STROPT

STROPT is a general purpose structural optimization program integrated with the finite element analysis package NISA II. STROPT accommodates static and dynamic analyses and has an extensive library of finite elements containing 3D composite and sandwich elements. Listed below are the capabilities and features for the optimization of laminated composites.

• Objective function is either volume, mass or weight
• Constraints may be based on Hill-Mises and Tsai-Wu failure theories. In addition, constraints on displacements, stresses, natural frequencies, buckling load factors and maximum amplitudes can also be imposed
• Design variables may be layer thicknesses and/or rotation angles. In addition, cross sectional dimensions can also be treated as design variables
• Controls on the status of design such as free, fixed or linked
• Sensitivity analysis methods such as direct differentiation, adjoint variable and hybrid
• Optimization algorithms such as Recursive Quadratic Programming (RQP), Generalized Reduced Gradient (GRG), and Optimum Cost Bounding (OCB)
• Multiple load cases and boundary conditions