Optimization of laminated composite structures using harmony search algorithm

Abstract This paper presents a study on the optimization of composite structures using harmony search (HS) algorithm. Modifications in the harmony memory are proposed to improve the reliability in stacking sequence optimizations. Using a memory formed by different designs keeps diversity and helps to prevent convergence to local optimum. Additionally, decreasing memory size during the optimization favours the exploration of the design space in the beginning and intensifies the search in promising regions in the end. HS is compared to many metaheuristic methods in a benchmark problem of buckling load maximization. Other examples present the optimization of laminated plates and shells using HS and finite element analysis considering material failure and geometric nonlinearity. Results indicate that HS is equal or better than other methods in optimization of composite structures. The variation of parameters during the optimization has a positive impact on the performance of HS. Furthermore, modifications presented in this paper increase the reliability of HS in optimizations with few function evaluations and should be considered in future works.