The present paper describes a fundamental study on structural bending design to reduce noise using a new evolutionary population-based heuristic algorithm called the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSOA). The particle swarm optimization algorithm is a parallel evolutionary computation technique proposed by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995. This algorithm is based on the social behavior models for bird flocking, fish schooling and other models investigated by zoologists. Optimal structural design problems to reduce noise are highly nonlinear, so that most conventional methods are difficult to apply. The present paper investigates the applicability of PSOA to such problems. Optimal bending design of a vibrating plate using PSOA is performed in order to minimize noise radiation. PSOA can be effectively applied to such nonlinear acoustic radiation optimization.