Integrated Structural Sizing Optimization

Abstract

A method for structural member s1z1ng optimization to beused for designing three dimensional structures is presented.The procedure is based on the Augmented Lagrangian Multipliermethod. The algorithm includes the displacements as statevariables and consequently combines the analysis and thesearch for the optimal section properties into a single step.This combination process avoids the usual cycling betweenanalysis and optimization phases. The width and height ofreetangular elements are chosen from a finite compact set.The static equilibrium equations are treated as equalityconstraints eliminating the need to solve the standard structural analysis problem. The method handles displacement andstress limits as inequality constraints.