ZAFER GÜRDAL, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering and the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia.

RAPHAEL T. HAFTKA, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Mechanics, and Engineering Science at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

PRABHAT HAJELA, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Mechanics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Expand your design horizons with a thorough, integrated knowledge of laminate mechanics and design optimization techniques

Offering a thorough treatment of both contemporary design optimization techniques and the mechanics of composite laminates, Design and Optimization of Laminated Composite Materials broadens engineers' design horizons by providing them with the information they need to take full advantage of this important class of composite materials. Intended to serve as an undergraduate- to graduate-level course text or a professional reference for practicing engineers, it features a rational, integrated presentation, supplemented with case examples, practice exercises, and valuable programming tips. Important features include:

* An integrated approach to the analysis and design of laminated composites

* Selected optimization methods that are suited to the design of laminates with discrete thickness and orientation angles

* Guidelines on getting the most out of numerical and graphical software applications for laminate optimization problems

* A companion Web site containing valuable Mathematica(TM)-based programs and helpful tutorials: www.composite-design.vt.edu