A finite element approach to optimal design of plastic structures in plane stress

Abstract

AbstractPlane stress structures of any shape and boundary conditions are simulated by finite element models with homogeneous stress and strain fields in each element. Besides the given live loads, dead loads (such as self‐weight) depending on the unknown thickness distribution are allowed for. Possible practical requirements on geometry (minimum thickness, areas of equal thickness, areas of thickness variation in a prescribed way) are taken into account. Yield surfaces of the materials are piecewise linearized. On this basis the minimum weight design problem is formulated in terms of a linear program. This program is dualized and the pair of dual programming problems is discussed. The mechanical interpretation leads to the generalization of some known limit design theory results.Some numerical examples are given at the end.