Optimization of hybrid laminated composites using the multi-objective gravitational search algorithm (MOGSA)

Abstract

The multi-objective gravitational search algorithm (MOGSA) technique is applied to hybrid laminates to achieve minimum weight and cost. The investigated laminate is made of glass–epoxy and carbon–epoxy plies to combine the economical attributes of the first with the light weight and high-stiffness properties of the second in order to make the trade-off between the cost and weight as the objective functions. The first natural flexural frequency was considered as a constraint. The results obtained using the MOGSA, including the Pareto set, optimum stacking sequences and number of plies made of either glass or carbon fibres, were compared with those using the genetic algorithm (GA) and ant colony optimization (ACO) reported in the literature. The comparisons confirmed the advantages of hybridization and showed that the MOGSA outperformed the GA and ACO in terms of the functions’ value and constraint accuracy.

Keywords:

• multi-objective gravitational search algorithm
• combinatorial optimization
• laminated composite materials
• stacking sequence
• frequency