Shape optimization of two equal holes in an infinite elastic plate

Abstract

The optimal design of the stress state in elastic plate structures with openings is a problem of great significance in engineering practice. Achieving proper shape of hole can reduce stress concentration around the boundaries remarkably. The optimal shape of a single hole in an infinite plate under uniform stresses has been obtained by complex variable method based on different optimal criteria. The complex variable method is particularly suitable for the hole shape optimization in infinite plate, in which the continuous hole boundary can be represented by the mapping function. It can also be used to solve the shape optimization problems of two or more holes. However, because of the difficulty of finding the mapping function for multi connected domain, the holes are mapped onto slits or separately mapped onto a circle. In this article, the two symmetrical and identical holes are mapped onto an annulus simultaneously by the newly found mapping function, which has a general form. The maximum tangential stress around the boundaries is minimized to achieve the optimal hole shape. And the coefficients of mapping function which describe the boundary are calculated by differential-evolution algorithm.