Development of a hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm for combinatorial optimisation and its application for optimal design of laminated composite cylindrical skirt

This paper presents a hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm called multiple start guided neighbourhood search (MSGNS) algorithm for combinatorial optimisation which combines the good features of popular guided local search algorithms like simulated annealing and tabu search. It has been organized as a multiple start algorithm to maintain a good balance between intensification and diversification. The proposed hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm has been employed to solve optimal stacking sequence design problem of laminate composite structures. First, the algorithm has been employed to solve the problem of optimal stacking sequence of a composite plate for which the results of various algorithms are available in the literature. This study is basically to validate and also to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm over several existing meta-heuristic algorithms. Later, a practical design example of fiber-reinforced composite cylindrical skirt of solid rocket motor of aerospace vehicle is investigated. A skirt is a potential element for weight reduction in rocket motors as it leads to reduction of the total weight of solid rocket motor. Due to its significance for solid rocket motors, it is proposed to optimise the weight as well as cost of the fiber-reinforced composite cylindrical skirt subjected to a buckling strength constraint and an overstressing strength constraint under aerodynamic torque and axial thrust. This is achieved by arriving at an optimal stacking sequence for the cylinder satisfying all the design constraints and also by employing multiple composite materials. Classical laminate theory combining with elastic stability theory of thin shells is used to arrive at buckling strength and overstressing strength of the fiber-reinforced composite cylindrical skirt. The Tsai-Wu failure criterion is employed to assess the first ply failure. Buckling strength and failure strength of the cylindrical skirt is described by using buckling load factor and overstressing load level factor. Numerical simulations carried out in this paper clearly demonstrate the superiority of the proposed MSGNS algorithm over the popularly used combinatorial algorithms like genetic algorithm and simulated annealing. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.