@Article{cmes.2007.018.183,
AUTHOR = {L.  Lamberti, C.  Pappalettere},
TITLE = {Weight Optimization of Skeletal Structures with Multi-Point Simulated Annealing},
JOURNAL = {Computer Modeling in Engineering \& Sciences},
VOLUME = {18},
YEAR = {2007},
NUMBER = {3},
PAGES = {183--222},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/CMES/v18n3/24996},
ISSN = {1526-1506},
ABSTRACT = {This paper presents a novel optimization algorithm for minimizing weight of skeletal structures. The algorithm--denoted as MPISA (Multi Point Improved Simulated Annealing)--utilizes a multi-level simulated annealing scheme where different candidate designs are compared simultaneously. This is done in purpose to increase computational efficiency and to minimize the number of exact structural analyses. <br/> 
MPISA is tested in three complicated design problems of skeletal structures: (i) sizing optimization of a planar bar truss under five independent loading conditions including 200 design variables; (ii) sizing-configuration optimization of a cantilevered bar truss including 81 design variables; (iii) sizing-configuration optimization of a frame structure including 84 design variables.<br/>
The new algorithm is compared to another multi-level simulated annealing algorithm and to gradient based optimizers recently presented in literature or included in commercial software. <br/> 
Numerical results demonstrate the very high efficiency of MPISA which achieved weight savings ranging between 250 and 350 kg in all test problems.},
DOI = {10.3970/cmes.2007.018.183}
}