Abstract
Abstract
A stress concentration due to the presence of holes is a problem often encountered in the design of structures. The aim of the current investigation is to optimize the central distance between two holes in a plate subjected to pressure in x-direction in case of isotropic material plate, laminated plate, and FGM plate to minimize stress concentration around holes. The finite element analysis (FEA) and optimization technique are used to calculate the optimal central distance between two holes in a plate subjected to pressure in the x-direction for different types of materials and laminates. The investigations have shown that as long as the central distance is small, the minimum the stresses around the hole are. In addition, for all the material types used, the optimal central distance is not affected by the type of material.