Multi material topology and stacking sequence optimization of composite laminated plates

Designers and engineers are constantly seeking for more efficient structures that can achieve a high performance with minimum weight. Since its inception, topology optimization has been evolving and new features and methods have been proposed to support the development of such lightweight and high-performance structures. In recent years, the application of multiple-material topology optimization in the conceptual design as well as the consideration of composite materials in the topology optimization process has increased. Composite materials usually offer a superior stiffness-to-weight ratio compared to isotropic materials, but it also requires engineers to define the lamination layup. The lamination stacking sequence can also be optimized through different methods, nevertheless the combination of stacking sequence and topology optimization is still limited in the literature. Therefore, the present paper presents a method to simultaneously optimize the material placement, selection and stacking sequence of composite plates in a multi-material topology optimization framework. The methodology considers that the macro-mechanical composite material response is governed by the orientation of the layers and the composite material properties. As a result, the optimum material placement and selection depend on the material layup that is defined along with the optimization process. A series of example problems are presented and discussed to demonstrate the proposed algorithm capabilities.