Buckling optimization of composite laminated adaptive structures

This paper deals with the optimal design of laminated composite plates with integrated piezoelectric actuators. Refined finite element models based on equivalent single layer high-order shear deformation theories are used. These models are combined with simulated annealing, a stochastic global optimization technique, in order to find the optimal location of piezoelectric actuators and also to find the optimal fiber reinforcement angles in both cases having the objective of maximizing the buckling load of the composite adaptive plate structure. To show the performance of the proposed optimization models, two illustrative and simple examples are presented and discussed. In one of these examples a comparison between the simulated annealing technique and a gradient based optimization scheme, is carried out.