Optimum shakedown design under residual displacement constraints

We consider the minimum weight design of suitably discretized elastoplastic structures subjected to variable repeated loads and constraints on the amo unt of residual (or permanent) deflections. The optimization problem is for mulated on the basis of the classical lower bound theorem of shakedown, sup plemented by appropriate constraints on deflections obtained from existing bounding results. The primary purpose of the paper is to show that, even fo r large size structures, this important and challenging problem can be mode led and solved directly as a mathematical programming problem within the in dustry standard modeling framework GAMS. Examples concerning truss-like str uctures are presented for illustrative purposes.