analysis and optimization of fibre-metal laminate cylindrical shells subjected to transverse impact loads

The main aim of the present paper is multi-objective optimization of circular cylindrical shells composed of fibre metal laminate. for this purpose, the genetic algorithms method is applied for optimization of combination of the objective functions including weight and transverse impact response and two constraints including critical buckling loads and principle strains. the initial compressive stress is taken to be equal to half of the axial critical buckling load of the shell. nine design variables including material properties (fibre and matrix), volume fraction of fibre, fibre orientation, and volume fraction of metal layers are considered. in analytical solution, transient dynamic response due to low-velocity transverse impact of a large mass on the mid-span of composite circular cylindrical shells is investigated based on the first-order shear deformation shell theory and mode superposition method. the impact force of an isotropic sphere impactor is calculated using a two-degree-of-freedom (tdof) spring-mass model. different fibre metal laminate layups are considered for optimization and the results are compared. results show that fibre metal laminate layup with 2/1 configuration has the smallest weight and impact response as compared to the other layups.