TY  - EJOU
AU  - Lamberti, L.  
AU  - Pappalettere, C.  

TI  - Weight Optimization of Skeletal Structures with Multi-Point Simulated Annealing
T2  - Computer Modeling in Engineering \& Sciences

PY  - 2007
VL  - 18
IS  - 3
SN  - 1526-1506

AB  - 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.
KW  - Simulated annealing (SA)
KW  -  multi-point random search
KW  -  structural optimization
KW  -  skeletal structures

DO  - 10.3970/cmes.2007.018.183