Optimization of material distribution within isotropic and anisotropic plates using homogenization (Q1912210)

The creation of optimal isotropic, single-layered orthotropic and multilayered anisotropic plate topologies was attempted in the study. Our objective was the minimization of the structural strain energy under volume constraint. The concept of optimal material distribution based on homogenization of a unit microstructure together with sequential linear programming was used to perform the optimization task. The structural response, computed via a finite element analysis, was calculated using first order shear deformation theory in conjunction with a laminated plate finite element. Isotropic and single-layered orthotropic plates were treated as special cases of multilayered anisotropic laminates.