Shape Optimization: Creating a Useful Design Tool

Several new areas of research are presented which seek to eliminate some of the barriers to achieving a useful design optimization tool. These areas include consideration of geometrical and topological optimization as well as crossectional optimization, design for latitude uncertainty in loading conditions and problem formulation, member insertion and deletion, new elements for optimization and fundamental new approaches to combine analysis and optimization. The role new computing hardware will play in the implementation of the next generation design tool is investigated. Work in several of these areas will be described. Results for shape optimization using the boundary integral method with substructuring, zero-one integer programming for decision support and a means of performing the analysis within the shape optimization formulation are presented.