ANTI-OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN UNDER LOAD UNCERTAINTIES

This paper describes a technique for design under uncertainty based on the worst-case-scenario technique of anti-optimization. When anti-opt imization is integrated with structural optimization, we create a nest ed optimization problem, which can be very expensive to solve. The pap er demonstrates the use of a technique alternating between optimizatio n and anti-optimization which alleviates the computational burden. The method is applied to the optimization of a simply supported laminate composite, to the optimization of a simple beam problem with nonlinear objective function, and finally to the optimization of a more complex real-life composite sandwich structure. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A .