A methodology for synthesizing symmetric laminated beams with optimal elastodynamic response characteristics (Q581091)

A methodology is presented herein for synthesizing symmetric laminated beams with optimal elastodynamic response characteristics by generalizing a previous publication of the first two authors [\textit{D. X. Liao} and the first two authors, J. Composite Mater. 21, 485-501 (1986)] in order to include the percentage of fiber and matrix in each ply, and to also accommodate fibers with transversely isotropic properties. Constitutive models are developed for the stiffness and damping properties of laminated beams as a function of the ply fiber volume fraction, the fiber orientation in each ply, the ply thickness and the stacking sequence prior to incorporating these models into an optimal design formulation. This formulation is then employed in illustrative transient response studies of cantilever beams in order to demonstrate the significance of incorporating these micromechanical parameters into design algorithms for optimally tailoring the properties of these laminated beams. A generalized reduced gradient algorithm is employed in this optimal design endeavor.