The　dynamic　response　and　design　optimization　of　clamped　sandwich　panels　comprising　two　aluminum　alloy　face-sheets　and　a　layered-gradient　closed-cell　aluminum　foam　core　subjected　to　air-blast　loading　were　examined　in　this　study.　The　numerical　approach　was　first　validated　by　blast　test　results　of　sandwich　panels　with　monolithic　aluminum　foam　cores,　and　then　the　dynamic　responses　of　layered-gradient　core　sandwich　panels　were　briefly　discussed　in　terms　of　deflection　response　and　energy　absorption.　Two　surrogate　model　methods　(i.e.,　response　surface　method　–　RSM,　and　radial　basis　function　–　RBF)　were　adopted　to　construct　objective　response　functions,　and　the　single-objective　adaptive　response　surface　method　(ARSM)　and　multi-objective　genetic　algorithm　(MOGA)　were　used　for　the　defined　optimization　problem.　The　optimization　results　show　the　trade-off　relationships　among　the　maximum　energy　absorption,　minimum　structural　mass　and　minimum　deflection,　and　the　advantage　of　“Pareto　front”　in　such　design　circumstances.　Furthermore,　the　applicability　and　accuracy　of　RSM　and　RBF　agent　models　in　the　multi-objective　design　optimization　(MDO)　of　sandwich　panels　with　layered-gradient　foam　cores　under　air-blast　loading　were　also　compared　and　revealed.　©　2018　Elsevier　Ltd