Optimal Design of Flexural Systems: Beams, Grillages, Slabs, Plates and Shells covers theoretical developments and optimal solutions for all boundary conditions that may be of practical or theoretical interest in the design of flexural systems. Organized into nine chapters, this book begins with a review of certain fundamental concepts of mechanics, calculus of variations, and optimal design. Subsequent chapters discuss in considerable details the theories of optimal plastic design, as well as the elastic and prestressed systems. Other chapters describe the theory of optimal flexure fields that give an absolute minimum statically admissible ""moment volume"" for plane systems, as well as the slabs and grillages optimized within various types of geometrical constraints. The last chapter evaluates experimental work and certain practical aspects of the optimization of flexural systems. This book will be of interest to graduate students, research workers, practicing engineers, and architects in structural engineering, architectural science, aerospace technology, solid mechanics, and applied mathematics.

This book contains the edited version of lectures and selected papers presented at the NATO ADVANCED STUDY INSTITUTE ON COMPUTER AIDED OPTIMAL DESIGN: Structural and Mechanical Systems, held in Tr6ia, Portugal, 29th June to 11th July 1986, and organized by CEMUL -Center of Mechanics and Materials of the Technical University of Lisbon. The Institute was attended by 120 participants from 21 countries, including leading scientists and engineers from universities, research institutions and industry, and Ph.D. students. Some participants presented invited and contributed papers during the Institute and almost all participated actively in discussions on scientific aspects during the Institute. The Advanced Study Institute provided a forum for interaction among eminent scientists and engineers from different schools of thought and young reseachers. The Institute addressed the foundations and current state of the art of essential techniques related to computer aided optimal design of structural and mechanical systems, namely: Vari ational and Finite Element Methods in Optimal Design, Numerical Optimization Techniques, Design Sensitivity Analysis, Shape Optimal Design, Adaptive Finite Element Methods in Shape Optimization, CAD Technology, Software Development Techniques, Integrated Computer Aided Design and Knowledge Based Systems. Special topics of growing importance were also pre sented.

Optimal design with advanced materials is becoming a very progressive and challenging domain within applied mechanics. The increasing use of advanced materials, such as anisotropic fiber composites and ceramics, is instigating new developments to be made within constitutive modelling and the computational methods of analysis, sensitivity analysis and optimization. A new dimension of optimal design is being realised by the direct tailoring and building of new materials. Research in this area is accelerating rapidly with the results already being applied to high technology industries. Two vital high technology research areas covered in this volume include homogenization and smart materials/structures. The 31 papers will prove an indispensable reference source for all those involved in the interdisciplinary research and development aspects of mechanics, materials and mathematics in the design of advanced materials.

This book summarizes advances in a number of fundamental areas of optimization with application in engineering design. The selection of the 'best' or 'optimum' design has long been a major concern of designers and in recent years interest has grown in applying mathematical optimization techniques to design of large engineering and industrial systems, and in using the computer-aided design packages with optimization capabilities which are now available.

This is an exposition of the theory, techniques, and the basic formulation of structural optimization problems. The author considers applications of design optimization criteria involving strength, rigidity, stability and weight. Analytic and numerical techniques are introduced for research in optimal shapes and internal configurations of deformable bodies and structures. Problems of the optimal design of beams, systems of rods, plates and shells, are studied in detail. With regard to applications, this work is oriented towards solutions of real problems, such as reduction of the volume or weight of the material, and improvement of mechanical properties of structures. This book is written for readers specializing in applied mechanics, applied mathematics, and numerical analysis."

The book covers the theory of Michell structures being the lightest and fully stressed systems of bars, designed within a given domain, possibly within the whole space, transmitting a given load towards a given support. Discovered already in 1904 by A.G.M. Michell, the structures named after him have attracted constant attention due to their peculiar feature of disclosing the optimal streams of stresses equilibrating a given load and thus determining the optimal layout of bars. The optimal layouts emerge from among all possible structural topologies, thus constituting unique designs being simultaneously light and stiff. The optimal structures turn out to be embedded in optimal vector fields covering the whole feasible domain. Key features include: a variationally consistent theory of bar systems, thin plates in bending and membrane shells; recapitulation of the theory of optimum design of trusses of minimum weight or of minimal compliance; the basis of 2D Michell theory for a single load case; kinematic and static approaches; 2D benchmark constructions including Hemp’s structures and optimal cantilevers; L-shape domain problems, three forces problem in 2D, bridge problems; revisiting the old - and delivering new - 3D benchmark solutions; extension to multiple load conditions; Prager-Rozvany grillages; the theory of funiculars and archgrids; the methods of optimum design of shape and material inspired by the theory of Michell structures, industrial applications. The book can be useful for graduate students, professional engineers and researchers specializing in the Optimum Design and in Topology Optimization in general.

A synthetic presentation of the theory of yield design is illustrated by examples such as the stability analysis of reinforced soil structures and the resistance of long fiber reinforced composite materials. The classical limit analysis theory when standard elastic perfectly plastic behaviour can be assumed yields a more precise assessment of the global bearing capacities of structures and makes optimal limit design possible. Structural optimal design is also studied with respect to eigenvalues as well as Structural Topology and Design Optimization.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Sesimbra, Portugal, June 20-26, 1992

Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium on Structural Optimization, Melbourne, Australia, February 9-13, 1988