Near optimum configuration of stepped hinged beams with buckling load constraint

Abstract

Optimum (minimum weight) design of structures, satisfying the behavioral constraints is essential to achieve competitive and cost effective structures in many fields of engineering. While the optimization algorithms, which can be used for optimizing the structural members are available, the designer / analyst faces with the problem of optimizing the load bearing members along with the other inevitable non-optimum weight associated with the structural joints, support conditions, functional requirements etc. As such, the simpler optimization procedure using a parametric study is often employed to obtain a near optimum design of the structural members. In this study, a near optimum configuration of the stepped hinged beam made of either a single material or two materials (compound) is obtained through a parametric study with the practically important buckling load constraint. The advantage of using two different materials in the stepped compound beam is brought out in this paper. It is shown numerically, how the compound stepped beam can be used more effectively in obtaining a near optimum configuration of the stepped hinged beam.