Optimization of Support Conditions to Minimize the Weight of Plate Structures

The optimization of structure (optimal design) has grown rapidly over the past decades with many different optimization methods that could be used to produce a structure of minimum weight. A new method of structural optimization is the Evolutionary Structural Optimization method. The number of applications of the Evolutionary Structural Optimization method have exhibited that it is a very reliable and easily applicable method of structural optimization. Therefore, the optimization of support conditions to minimize the weight of plate structures by the Evolutionary Structural Optimization method is investigated in this paper. The effect of different boundary conditions is assessed. Finally, some numerical examples are shown to illustrate the efficiency and simplicity of Evolutionary Structural Optimization method.

Keywords:

Plate Structures , Support Conditions , Weight , Evolutionary Structural Optimization method