Optimal design based on optimality criterion for frame structures including buckling constraint

Abstract The minimum weight design for truss- or beam-element structures with size, stress, displacement and system buckling constraints is presented. A general redesign equation is derived from the optimality criteria and combined with full stressed redesign formula to reduce the redesign iteration numbers. An optimization computer code ARS 3 (Automatic Resizing System 3) is developed and applied to some practical examples. Results reveal that the procedure presented in this paper is quite efficient and can handle a large-scale system without difficulty.