Author(s)

Scott A. Burns, Keith M. Mueller

Abstract

A single-termed monomial power function is presented as an alternative to the standard Taylor series linearization for purposes of approximating nonlinear structural behavior. This monomial approximation becomes linear after a logarithmic transformation; consequently, computational tools based on linear algebra remain useful and effective. The monomial approximation has been shown to have several useful properties, not shared by the standard Taylor linearization, that are responsible for improved performance when applied to structural optimization problems. Introduction We usually think of nonlinear structural behavior as relating to structures that possess geometric or material nonlinearities. But most problems in structural optim

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