Benchmark Problems in Structural Design and Performance Optimization: Past, Present, and Future—Part I

In 1981, the Optimal Structural Design Committee of ASCE identified impediments preventing structural engineers from adopting widespread application of optimization techniques in design. Almost 30 years later, many of the structural optimization algorithms that have been developed are still being tested on simplistic models proposed in the 70s and 80s. There is a need for new realistic system benchmarks that could serve as testbed application and verification of novel methods of structural optimization. We discuss the advancements of the past and present a venue for development of future benchmark problems. This paper serves three purposes: it challenges developers of optimization techniques to tackle larger scale problems by posing new yet practical problems; it encourages practitioners to realize the strength of structural optimization techniques in developing safe and cost effective designs; and it seeks to persuade design professionals and academicians to efficiently utilize available computational power and paradigms in solving today’s engineering design and optimization problems. In an upcoming paper, review of performance of emerging design optimization techniques in handling the newly proposed optimization benchmarks will be studies. Future research and development needs will be discussed.