PARALLEL EVOLUTION STRATEGY FOR SOLVING STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION

A method for the solution of mixed-discrete structural optimization pr oblems based on a two-level parallel evolution strategy is presented. On the first level, the optimization problem is divided into two subpr oblems with discrete and continuous design variables, respectively. Th e two subproblems are solved simultaneously on a parallel computing ar chitecture. On the second level, each subproblem is further paralleliz ed by means of a parallel subevolution-strategy. Periodically, the des ign variables in the two groups are exchanged. Examples are included t o demonstrate the implementation of this method on a parallel computer . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.