Integrated design optimization of stiffened plate structures
Abstract
Topology optimization and conventional structural sizing optimization procedures are used together to obtain optimum designs for plate structures. A three‐layer, Mindlin‐Reissner plate model is first used with topology optimization to determine optimal stiffening zones. The central layer represents the unstiffened plate and the symmetrically located upper and lower layers are potential stiffening zones. A stiffening volume is specified and the objective is to minimize the strain energy. From these stiffening zones, a set of centre lines of equivalent stiffening Timoshenko beam elements is selected. A sizing optimization procedure is then used to optimize the stiffener dimensions. The objective of the design in the final sizing optimization stage is to minimise the strain energy keeping the total stiffened plate volume constant. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed strategy is illustrated through several applications.
Keywords
Citation
Belblidia, F., Afonso, S.M.B., Hinton, E. and Antonino, G.C.R. (1999), "Integrated design optimization of stiffened plate structures", Engineering Computations, Vol. 16 No. 8, pp. 934-952. https://doi.org/10.1108/02644409910304185
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited