Optimizing lamination of hybrid thick-walled cylindrical shell under external pressure by using a genetic algorithm

The effects of thermal residual stresses, strains, and stacking sequences resulting from hybrid composite material system selection on the design of thick-walled cross-ply cylindrical shells are discussed by using a simple and accurate finite cylindrical element method formulated by Byon and Vinson [1]. It is seen that beneficial effects can be realized in the cylindrical shells by utilizing a hybrid of graphite/epoxy and E-glass/epoxy material systems. An optimal stacking sequence of hybrid composite cylindrical shell is also proposed to give the smallest value of tensile strain in the through-the-thickness direction. This paper describes an optimal stacking sequence of a thick-walled cross-ply cylindrical shell laminated with hybrid composite materials determined by a genetic algorithm (GA) and shows that this method is useful for such an optimization problem.