Optimization of plates reinforced with different initial slope and variable number of carbon fibers

Abstract Optimization methods for curvilinear reinforcements placement aims to improve mechanical response of structure. Whenever a gradient-based method is used to optimization, it is necessary arbitrate an initial placement for the fibers. This initial guess has influence on the result. This work aims to observe the influence of the initial positioning of straight carbon fiber in epoxy resin plates, which had their compliance minimized by Sequential Linear Programming. The maximum displacement is observed too, even if it is not an objective function. The case studies were carried out on the same structure and the number of fibers and its slope were changed. Variation of the force slope was also evaluated. The results confirmed an influence of the initial slope in results. The addition of a greater number of fibers does not always cause a better performance in the design. To achieve the best results, it is essential that the initial arrangement be configured in such a way as to provide proximity of the ends of the fibers and the forces and supports. It's important to try to place the fibers with axial directions close to the axial direction of the force.