Optimun Design of Trusses with Discrete Variables and Buckling Constraints

Abstract

An efficient method to solve the least weight design of plane and space trusses is developed. A realistic truss model, including discrete variables and buckling constraints is used.
The solution is obtained solving a sequence of approximate problems in the dual space.
The difficulties introduced by the discrete variables and the buckling constrints are successfully overcome.
A couple of examples shows the effectiveness of the method.