On the solution of a minimum weight elastoplastic problem involving displacement and complementarity constraints

This paper deals with a special class of minimum weight design problem invo lving discretized structures, holonomic (reversible) plasticity, and constr aints on displacements. A key feature of the optimization problem is the pr esence of complementarity conditions, involving the orthogonality of two si gn-constrained vectors. This problem falls within the important class of so -called Mathematical Programs with Equilibrium Constraints (MPECs). Two sim ple algorithms are proposed to solve our synthesis problem and application is illustrated by some examples concerning truss-like structures. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.