Structural efficiency metrics for integrated selection of layup, material, and cross-section shape in laminated composite structures

Previously introduced to assess the structural efficiency and to ease the selection of solid materials and cross-section shapes, the method of shape transformers is here extended to deal with the structural design of laminated composites. In particular, this work examines laminated composites under bending and torsional loading, and considers as free variables of selection the layup, the number of plies, the shape of the cross-section, and the materials that make up a laminated structure. Structural efficiency measures are first formulated to assess the merit of selecting each of these variables separately, and later applied to generate design charts that enable their concurrent selection. The results visualized in maps help identify in a glance the role that each of the variables plays in the structural efficiency of a laminated composite structure, as well as assist in the choice of the best laminated composite concept at the preliminary stage of design.