This book offers an introduction to numerical optimization methods in structural design. Employing a readily accessible and compact format, the book presents an overview of optimization methods, and equips readers to properly set up optimization problems and interpret the results. A ‘how-to-do-it’ approach is followed throughout, with less emphasis at this stage on mathematical derivations. The book features spreadsheet programs provided in Microsoft Excel, which allow readers to experience optimization ‘hands-on.’ Examples covered include truss structures, columns, beams, reinforced shell structures, stiffened panels and composite laminates. For the last three, a review of relevant analysis methods is included. Exercises, with solutions where appropriate, are also included with each chapter. The book offers a valuable resource for engineering students at the upper undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as others in the industry and elsewhere who are new to these highly practical techniques.While the specific application is to structural design, the principles involved can be applied far more widely.

Topology Design Methods for Structural Optimization provides engineers with a basic set of design tools for the development of 2D and 3D structures subjected to single and multi-load cases and experiencing linear elastic conditions. Written by an expert team who has collaborated over the past decade to develop the methods presented, the book discusses essential theories with clear guidelines on how to use them. Case studies and worked industry examples are included throughout to illustrate practical applications of topology design tools to achieve innovative structural solutions. The text is intended for professionals who are interested in using the tools provided, but does not require in-depth theoretical knowledge. It is ideal for researchers who want to expand the methods presented to new applications, and includes a companion website with related tools to assist in further study. Provides design tools and methods for innovative structural design, focusing on the essential theory Includes case studies and real-life examples to illustrate practical application, challenges, and solutions Features accompanying software on a companion website to allow users to get up and running fast with the methods introduced Includes input from an expert team who has collaborated over the past decade to develop the methods presented

The book provides suggestions on how to start using bionic optimization methods, including pseudo-code examples of each of the important approaches and outlines of how to improve them. The most efficient methods for accelerating the studies are discussed. These include the selection of size and generations of a study’s parameters, modification of these driving parameters, switching to gradient methods when approaching local maxima, and the use of parallel working hardware. Bionic Optimization means finding the best solution to a problem using methods found in nature. As Evolutionary Strategies and Particle Swarm Optimization seem to be the most important methods for structural optimization, we primarily focus on them. Other methods such as neural nets or ant colonies are more suited to control or process studies, so their basic ideas are outlined in order to motivate readers to start using them. A set of sample applications shows how Bionic Optimization works in practice. From academic studies on simple frames made of rods to earthquake-resistant buildings, readers follow the lessons learned, difficulties encountered and effective strategies for overcoming them. For the problem of tuned mass dampers, which play an important role in dynamic control, changing the goal and restrictions paves the way for Multi-Objective-Optimization. As most structural designers today use commercial software such as FE-Codes or CAE systems with integrated simulation modules, ways of integrating Bionic Optimization into these software packages are outlined and examples of typical systems and typical optimization approaches are presented. The closing section focuses on an overview and outlook on reliable and robust as well as on Multi-Objective-Optimization, including discussions of current and upcoming research topics in the field concerning a unified theory for handling stochastic design processes.

Optimization methods are perceived to be at the heart of computer methods for designing engineering systems. With these optimization methods, the designer can evaluate more alternatives, resulting in a better and more cost-effective design. This guide describes the use of modern optimization methods with simple yet meaningful structural design examples. Optimum solutions are obtained and, where possible, compared with the solutions obtained using traditional design procedures.

This book was developed while teaching a graduate course at several universities in the United States. Europe and Israel. during the last two decades. The purpose of the book is to introduce the fundamentals and applications of optimum structural design. Much work has been done in this area recently and many studies have been published. The book is an attempt to collect together selected topics of this literature and to present them in a unified approach. It meets the need for an introductory text covering the basic concepts of modem structural optimization. A previous book by the author on this subject ("Optimum Structural Design". published by McGraw-Hill New York in 1981 and by Maruzen Tokyo in 1983). has been used extensively as a text in many universities throughout the world. The present book reflects the rapid progress and recent developments in this area. A major difficulty in studying structural optimization is that integration of concepts used in several areas. such as structural analysis. numerical optimization and engineering design. is necessary in order to solve a specific problem. To facilitate the study of these topics. the book discusses in detail alternative problem formulations. the fundamentals of different optimization methods and various considerations related to structural design. The advantages and the limitations of the presented approaches are illustrated by numerous examples.

The field of structural optimization is still a relatively new field undergoing rapid changes in methods and focus. Until recently there was a severe imbalance between the enormous amount of literature on the subject, and the paucity of applications to practical design problems. This imbalance is being gradually redressed now. There is still no shortage of new publications, but there are also exciting applications of the methods of structural optimizations in the automotive, aerospace, civil engineering, machine design and other engineering fields. As a result of the growing pace of applications, research into structural optimization methods is increasingly driven by real-life problems. Most engineers who design structures employ complex general-purpose software packages for structural analysis. Often they do not have any access to the source the details of program, and even more frequently they have only scant knowledge of the structural analysis algorithms used in this software packages. Therefore the major challenge faced by researchers in structural optimization is to develop methods that are suitable for use with such software packages. Another major challenge is the high computational cost associated with the analysis of many complex real-life problems. In many cases the engineer who has the task of designing a structure cannot afford to analyze it more than a handful of times.

Various structures, such as buildings, bridges, and paved roads play an important role in our lives. However, these construction projects require large expenditures. Designing infrastructure cost-efficiently while satisfying all necessary design constraints is one of the most important and difficult tasks for a structural engineer. Traditionally, mathematical gradient-based optimization techniques have been applied to these designs. However, these gradient-based methods are not suitable for discrete design variables such as factory-made cross sectional area of structural members. Recently, researchers have turned their interest to phenomenon-mimicking optimization techniques because these techniques have proved able to efficiently handle discrete design variables. One of these techniques is harmony search, an algorithm developed from musical improvisation that has been applied to various structural design problems and has demonstrated cost-savings. This book gathers all the latest developments relating to the application of the harmony search algorithm in the structural design field in order for readers to efficiently understand the full spectrum of the algorithm’s potential and to easily apply the algorithm to their own structural problems. This book contains six chapters with the following subjects: standard harmony search algorithm and its applications by Lee; standard harmony search algorithm for steel frame design by Degertekin; adaptive harmony search algorithm and its applications by Saka and Hasançebi; harmony particle swarm algorithm and its applications by Li and Liu; hybrid algorithm of harmony search, particle swarm & ant colony for structural design by Kaveh and Talatahari; and parameter calibration of viscoelastic and damage functions by Mun and Geem.