Weight-strength-redundancy interaction in optimum design of three-dimensional brittle-ductile trusses

Abstract The effects of optimization on both reserve strength and redundancy of three-dimensional brittle-ductile trusses are demonstrated. The optimum design is defined as the truss of least weight, subject to a prescribed set of side and behavior constraints. The weight-strength-redundancy interaction in optimum design of three-dimensional indeterminate trusses is illustrated with numerical examples of minimum-weight design of a 25-bar space truss having brittle, ductile, or brittle-ductile members.