Shape optimization of a revolutional body and a quasi-analytic method of sensitivity analysis

Abstract

Though the analytic method of sensitivity analysis is of high efficiency and accuracy, it makes sensitivity analysis and structural analysis interwoven together, which is one of the main difficulties for the development of a shape optimization program system. The present paper proposes a quasi-analytic method of sensitivity analysis based on local difference, the computational efficiency of which is similar to the analytic method. It has the advantage of easy programming. To expand a structural analysis program into a structural optimization program, it is only necessary to call a number of subroutines of the structural analysis program. The algorithm is applied to develop a program ROSOP for shape optimization of revolutional body under an arbitrary load. Numerical results for train wheels are presented.