Multi-objective design optimization of variable stiffness composite cylinders

The bending-induced buckling improvement in a variable stiffness (VS) composite cylinder (made by fiber steering) is studied. For such a cylinder, the effect of the variation of the direction of the load on its buckling performance of the cylinder is also examined. Compromise programming, as a multiobjective optimization method, is used to design for buckling of the VS cylinder subjected to bending load in either of the two opposite directions. Different combinations of weight factors for the structural performance in the two opposite directions were also applied to obtain the Pareto frontier as the main decision making tool for the designers in a multi-objective design problem. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.