Flaw identification in elastomechanics: BEM simulation with local and genetic optimization

Abstract

Single and multiple flaw identification problems are considered. Static and steady-state dynamic analysis of structures with flaw(s) is performed by the boundary element method. Inverse problems are formulated as output (i.e. measurement) error minimization problems and they are solved by numerical optimization techniques. As it is shown in this paper by means of numerical experiments, for elastostatic cases, an appropriate modelling of the structural analysis problem, a good choice of the error measure, and the use of established numerical optimization software are usually sufficient for the solution of the problem. Even multiple flaw identification is possible. Elastodynamic loadings lead to nonconvex problems which are solved here by means of global, genetic optimization algorithms.