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Abstract Various mathematical programming methods for structural optimization are studied. In a companion paper, these methods have been studied based on certain theoretical considerations. In this paper, the methods are studied based on solving a set of test problems. The methods that are studied include recursive QP, feasible directions, gradient projection, SUMT and multiplier methods. Various computer codes have been developed, and are studied together with some existing programs such as CONMIN and OPTDYN. The test problems considered have 3–47 design variables and 3–252 constraints. The evaluation criteria consist of studying the accuracy, reliability and efficiency of a code. It turns out that globally convergent algorithms (multiplier methods, in particular) are very reliable but not efficient. Primal algorithms (like CONMIN), which are not proved to be globally convergent, are efficient but not reliable.
Belegundu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.