Optimization of safety factor by adaptive simulated annealing of composite laminate at low-velocity impact

Laminated composite plates are utilized extensively in different fields of construction and industry thanks to their advantages such as high stiffness-to-weight ratio. Additionally, they are characterized by their directional properties that permit the designer to optimize their stiffness for specific applications. This paper presents a numerical analysis and optimization study of plates made of composite subjected to low velocity impact. The main aim is to identify the optimum fiber orientations of the composite plates that resist low velocity impact load. First, a threedimensional finite element model is built using LS DYNA computer software package to perform the impact analyses. The composite plate has been modeled using solid elements. The failure criteria of Tsai-Wu's criterion have been used to control the strength of the composite material. A good agreement has been found between the predicted numerical results and experimental results in the literature which validate the finite element model. Then, an Adaptive Simulated Annealing (ASA) has been used to optimize the response of impacted composite laminate where its objective is to maximize the safety factor by varying the ply angles. The results show that the ASA is robust in the sense that it is capable of predicting the best optimal designs.