OPTIMAL MATERIAL SELECTION USING BRANCH-AND-BOUND TECHNIQUES

A methodology for structural synthesis is presented in which the optim al material selection for the truss structures is treated in terms of (0, 1) variables. Structural member sizes and material selection varia bles are treated simultaneously as design variables. Optimization is c arried out by generating and solving a sequence of explicit approximat e problems using a branch and bound strategy. Intermediate design vari ables and intermediate response quantities are used to enhance the qua lity of the approximate design problems. Numerical results for example problems are presented to illustrate the efficiency of the design pro cedure set forth.