Development Of A Software For Structural Optimization With Ansys Analyzer--For Composite Structure Of Bar, Beam And Shell Elements

Research work on structural optimization is mainly concentrated on theories and methodologies previously. It is still far away from practical appliance in engineering. Therefore, to develop an integrated software system will be considerably beneficial to the application of optimization in engineering.From the practical need of engineering application, this paper has added the shell optimization function based on the former software only can perform sizing optimization of bar and beam element.The paper also realized the analytical sensitivity analysis of structure optimization and data interchange between optimization and analysis, integrated ANSYS with Guide-weight criteria method into an embryonic form of general optimization software.This paper discusses two difficulties that are encountered in the course of exploring optimal design and introduces the method of step-length factor which is used by a efficient method of structure optimization-Guide-Weigh Method and some problems during automatic iteration calculation. Finally, itputs forward an automatic and efficient arithmetic--Similar-AitkenAlgorithm to solve a group of criterion equations of structure optimization. This method has these advantages of high efficiency, no need of being interfered by people and wide applicable field, which has been proved by a number of examples.The optimal results of several shell and truss-shell combine structures verified the practicability, validity and speed convergence of the software.