Optimization of finite metallic plates with quadrilateral cutout subjected to in- plane loading by Ant Lion Optimizer

This paper aims at optimizing the parameters involved in stress analysis of finite isotropic plates, in order to achieve the least amount of stress around a quadrilateral cutout located in a finite isotropic plate under in- plane loading using a novel Swarm Intelligence optimization technique called Ant lion optimizer. In analysis of finite isotropic plate, the effective parameters on stress distribution around quadrilateral cutouts are cutout bluntness, cutout orientation, plate’s aspect ratio, cutout size and type of loading. In this study, with the assumption of plane stress conditions, analytical solution of Muskhelishvili’s complex variable method and conformal mapping is utilized. The plate is considered to be finite (proportion of cutout side to the longest plate side should be more than 0.2), isotropic and linearly elastic. To calculate the stress function of a finite plate with a quadrilateral cutout, the stress functions in finite plate are determined by superposition of the stress function in infinite plate containing a quadrilateral cutout with stress function in finite plate without any cutout. Using least square boundary collocation method and applying appropriate boundary conditions, unknown coefficients of stress function are obtained. Moreover, the finite element method has been used to check the accuracy of results. The obtained results show that the mentioned parameters have a significant effect on stress distribution around a quadrilateral cutout and that the structure’s load- bearing capacity can be increased by proper selection of these parameters.