Neural network optimization of material composition of a functionally graded material plate at arbitrary temperature range and temperature rise

Summary A neural network model is applied to optimization problems of material compositions for a functionally graded material plate with arbitrarily distributed and continuously varied material properties in the thickness direction. Unsteady temperature distribution is evaluated by taking into account the bounds of the number of the layers. Thermal stress components for an infinite functionally graded material plate are formulated under traction-free mechanical conditions. As a numerical example, a plate composed of zirconium oxide and titanium alloy is considered. In the optimization problem of minimizing the thermal stress distribution, the numerical calculations are carried out making use of the neural network. The optimum material composition is determined by taking into account the effect of temperature-dependence of material properties. The results obtained by neural network and ordinary nonlinear programming method are compared. Received 3 March 1998; accepted for publication 22 May 1998