Optimal prestress against buckling: An energy approach

Structures that have a reserve capacity beyond buckling can generally be stiffened against buckling through the use of prestress. The design of prestress for such cases is treated in a way which leads to the maximiza- tion of the buckling load for a prescribed available prestress strain energy. The formulation given for this optimal design problem relates closely to the energy principles of structural analysis. Optimal prestress configurations are determined for the circular plate, and for a second example structure in the form of a sun-membrane system. Developments from the study of prestress design are related to past results from postbuckling analysis.