Optimization Design of Composite Trusses

摘要

Sizing and material selection are two of the most important ways for reducing truss weight underrnprescribed constraints. The former is a continuous design problem, while the latter forms a discreterndesign problem. In this paper, a genetic algorithm was used to tackle the complex sizing andrnmaterial selection problems of composite truss optimization design. The weight of a composite trussrnwas minimized under buckling, strength, and displacement constraints. Both sizing and materialrnselection were taken as continuous design problems. The domain of material selection was setrnbetween zero and the number of available materials. The sizing variables were normalized to thernrange between zero and one. Each material selection variable was represented with a resolution ofrnone and each sizzling variable was represented with a resolution of 0.01. To ensure the validity ofrnthe design procedure, two examples for the optimization design of a two-bar and a ten-bar compositerntrusses were presented. The two-bar example has a known solution. The results showed that thernsizing and material selection problem for composite trusses can be effectively solved with a geneticrnalgorithm. The paper discusses the rationale for the materials selection and design issues forrncomposite trusses.