Optimization of laminated ceramic composites for minimum residual stress and cost

Optimal design of laminated ceramic components is of interest in various structural applications. Residual stresses are induced in laminated ceramic composites when they are cooled from elevated processing temperatures. These stresses can be minimized by tailoring the material compositions and thicknesses of the composite layers. While this is an effective method, the material cost of the composite increases with a decrease in the residual stress. A multiobjective optimization problem is formulated to consider both residual stress and cost. The constraint method and the min-max approaches are used to solve this problem. It is shown that the min-max solution yields the best compromise solution. The formulation considers wear resistance, fracture toughness, and delamination in the laminate.