Structural Synthesis and Design Parameter Hierarchy

The structural synthesis concept is used to automatically size members, select the geometric configuration or layout, and determine the combination of attainable material properties in order to achieve a minimum weight optimum design. The structural behavior is stress, displacement, and stability limited under a multiplicity of load conditions. Using the three bar truss to illustrate the method leads to a nine dimensional design parameter space and a nonlinear weight function. The configuration and material design parameters are treated as continuous variables in addition to the sizing parameters. The structural synthesis capacity illustrates quantitatively the feasibility of extending synthesis capabilities upward into the design parameter hierarchy, provides an efficient means for materials selection from existing materials, and suggests that structural synthesis can provide a means of determining material properties that are desirable for a particular job based on structural optimization.