Optimal design of stiffened composite underwater hulls

This numerical study is devoted to the stiffened composite vessel design for deep submarine exploration housings and autonomous underwater vehicles [1]. The structures under investigation are lengthy laminated cylinders with circumferential and longitudinal (rings and stringers, respectively) unidirectional composite stiffeners and rigid end closures. Structural buckling induced by the high external hydrostatic pressure is considered as the major risk factor under service conditions. The objective of this work is the development of an optimization tool allowing the search of the reinforcement definition (lamination and stiffener characteristics) that maximize the limit of stability.