Author(s)

K.U. Bletzinger

Abstract

Explicit approximation of equality constraints K.-U. Bletzinger Institut jur Baustatik, Universitdt Stuttgart, 7, ABSTRACT Approximation methods, namely the method of moving asymptotes, have been accepted as reliable and efficient solution techniques in structural optimiza- tion. Originally, they have been designed for large sizing problems with few in- equality constraints. But the further development of structural optimization, e.g. shape optimal design, lead to more general problems including equality constraints as well. However, the nonlinear approximation rules for inequality constraints cannot be applied to equality constraints because of the loss of convex- ity. The contribution suggests a new alternative to consider equality constraints in the context of the method of moving asymptotes which overcomes this prob- lem. Several examples illustrate the success of the method. INTRODUCTION A general nonlinear structural optimization problem is given

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