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Minimum weight design using finite elements
Author(s) -
Kark S. K.,
Scholes A.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.421
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1097-0207
pISSN - 0029-5981
DOI - 10.1002/nme.1620190904
Subject(s) - finite element method , linear programming , mathematical optimization , sequence (biology) , limit (mathematics) , computer science , element (criminal law) , inverse , mathematics , algorithm , engineering , structural engineering , mathematical analysis , geometry , biology , political science , law , genetics
The authors' aim was the development of a suitable procedure for the structural design of railway vehicles within an existing general purpose finite element package. A previous application to railway vehicles was based on the use of a sequence of linear programming steps incorporating move limits on the design variables. This approach was slow and in other fields mathematical programming techniques tended to give way to methods based on optimality criteria. Nevertheless because of its simplicity of concept, and because some apparently successful alternatives to the move limit idea were available, the use of linear programming was returned to and the method is now incorporated in the British Rail finite element program NEWPAC. Couched in terms of inverse variables and using linearized forms of the stress constraints, the linear programming approach converges with the optimality criteria method. Details of the implementation and of some standard examples are given.