Design of truss-structures for minimum weight using genetic algorithms

✍ Scribed by Kalyanmoy Deb; Surendra Gulati

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 237 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0168-874X
• DOI: 10.1016/s0168-874x(00)00057-3

✦ Synopsis

Optimization of truss-structures for "nding optimal cross-sectional size, topology, and con"guration of 2-D and 3-D trusses to achieve minimum weight is carried out using real-coded genetic algorithms (GAs). All the above three optimization techniques have been made possible by using a novel representation scheme. Although the proposed GA uses a "xed-length vector of design variables representing member areas and change in nodal coordinates, a simple member exclusion principle is introduced to obtain di!ering topologies. Moreover, practical considerations, such as inclusion of important nodes in the optimized structure is taken care of by using a concept of basic and non-basic nodes. Stress, de#ection, and kinematic stability considerations are also handled using constraints. In a number of 2-D and 3-D trusses, the proposed technique "nds intuitively optimal or near-optimal trusses, which are also found to have smaller weight than those that are reported in the literature.