Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Volume 7, Number 4, 1999, pages 401-412

DOI: 10.12989/sem.1999.7.4.401

Optimization of thin shell structures subjected to thermal loading

Li Q, Steven GP, Querin OM, Xie YM

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show how the Evolutionary Structural Optimization (ESO) algorithm developed by Xie and Steven can be extended to optimal design problems of thin shells subjected to thermal loading. This extension simply incorporates an evolutionary iterative process of thermoelastic thin shell finite element analysis. During the evolution process, lowly stressed material is gradually eliminated from the structure. This paper presents a number of examples to demonstrate the capabilities of the ESO algorithm for solving topology optimization and thickness distribution problems of thermoelastic thin shells.

Key Words

topology and thickness design, thin shell, thermoelasticity, finite element analysis, evolutionary structural optimization

Address

Li Q, Univ Sydney, Fac Engn, Dept Aeronaut Engn, Bldg J07, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia<br />Univ Sydney, Fac Engn, Dept Aeronaut Engn, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia<br />Victoria Univ Technol, Fac Sci & Engn, Melbourne, Vic 8001, Australia