Efficient design optimization of nonconventional laminated composites using lamination parameters: A state of the art

Because of their superior mechanical and environmental properties compared to traditional metals, fiber-reinforced composite materials have earned a prevalent acceptance for different structural applications. The tailoring potential of composites to achieve high specific stiffness and strength has promoted them as promising candidates for constructing lightweight structures. From that aspect, designers have tackled the problem of designing composite laminates, which is inherently challenging due to the presence of non-linear, non-convex, and multi-dimensional problems with discrete and continuous design variables. Witnessing new manufacturing technologies also granted engineers the capability of exploiting the full potential of composites by using non-conventional laminates leading to more complex design problems. To circumvent this difficulty, designers have used lamination parameters as intermediate variables to achieve global optimization. This literature review aims to demonstrate the use of lamination parameters for efficient multi-level optimization of robust and manufacturable nonconventional laminates by integrating the optimization process with manufacturing constraints and industry design guidelines.