Basis Reduction Concepts in Large Scale Structural Synthesis

A hybrid method of formulating structural synthesis problems is presented. The method casts the conventional mathematical programming formulation in a reduced design space formed by base vectors that can be generated from various sources. In this study each base vector is developed from a typical behavioural aspect of the structural system such as stress or displacement or buckling. The formulation also explores two types of base vectors; direct and reciprocal. The performance and efficiency of this method are studied through some well known example problems.