Optimization of ply angles in laminated composite structures by a hybrid, asynchronous, parallel evolutionary algorithm

An evolutionary algorithm approach aimed at the global optimization of ply angles in laminated composites is proposed. The algorithm is enriched by first-order local search and a niching strategy. Genetic variation operators are tailored to the special properties of ply angle optimization problems. Cyclic box-constraints are considered in the crossover, mutation, and niching operations. All experiments on three academic benchmark problems are able to identify a global optimal solution. Two case studies illustrate the applicability of the method on typical engineering problems. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.