On the modelling and solving of the truss design problem with global stability constraints

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to find a computationally tractable formulation of the optimum truss design problem involving a constraint on the global stability of the structure. The stability constraint is based on the linear buckling phenomenon. We formulate the problem as a nonconvex semidefinite programming problem and briefly discuss an interior point technique for the numerical solution of this problem. We further discuss relation to other models. The paper is concluded by a series of numerical examples.