The design of mechanical systems normally exploits numerical analysis and optimization. We make a plea for symbolic computation and give an example where the desired results are symbolic. Geometrical design parameters enter in this computation. The resulting expressions reveal the values which yield desirable properties for, e.g., stiffness or damping. This is applied to repetitive (fractal) mechanical systems, namely tensegrity structures. A set of equations linear in the degrees-of-freedom, but nonlinear in the design parameters, is solved symbolically. A large scale example with 1533 degrees-of-freedom is computed successfully. The results make it possible to optimize the structure with respect to stiffness properties, not only by appropriately selecting (continuous) design parameters like dimensions, but also by selecting the number of stages used to build up the structure (a discrete design parameter).
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机译：机械系统的设计通常利用数值分析和优化。我们为符号计算做出了一个恳求，并给出了所需结果符号的示例。几何设计参数在此计算中输入。所得表达揭示了产生所需性能的值，例如刚度或阻尼。这适用于重复（分形）机械系统，即静态结构。一组方程在自由度中线性，但设计参数中的非线性象征性地解决。成功计算具有1533自由度的大规模示例。 The results make it possible to optimize the structure with respect to stiffness properties, not only by appropriately selecting (continuous) design parameters like dimensions, but also by selecting the number of stages used to build up the structure (a discrete design parameter).
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