Abstract
This paper presents a method to support the selection of lightweight large-scale structures. The method enables the ranking of alternative structural forms, whose axially loaded members can resist to either instability failure or material yield. Unlike previous approaches for concept design, this work models buckling failure to assess the interaction between the choice of a structural form and the choice of the cross-section shapes of its constituents. Shape transformers and scaling factors are introduced to characterize the structural efficiency of alternative cross-sectional shapes. Such parameters are dimensionless and enable to measure the shape efficiency without specifying the details of the cross-section geometry. The approach eases optimization at the concept design stage and it permits to assess how the selection of the member cross-sections impacts the lightweight potential of the structural topology. The model is used to construct charts for optimizing and selecting alternative forms. The method is applied in an industrial setting in order to compare three different structural concepts for a particular design application. The case study identified the potential performance of three structural forms and gave insight into the selection of the parameters that most influence structural performance.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashby, M.F.: Materials and shape. Acta Metall. Mater. 39(6), 1025–1039 (1991)
Burgess, S.C.: The ranking of efficiency of structural layouts using form factors. J. Eng. Sci. 212, 117–128 (1998)
Burgess, S.C., Pasini, D., Smith, D.J.: Form factors: A design method to support the selection of structural concepts. ICED 01, pp. 179–186, Glasgow, 21–23 (2001)
Caldwell, J.B., Woodhead, R.G.: Ship structures: some possibilities for improvement. North East Cost Institution – Inst. Eng. & Shipbuilders – Transaction, vol. 89, pp. 101–120 (1973)
Case, J., Chilever, L., Ross, C.T.F.: Strength of materials and structures. Arnold, London (1999)
Chan, A.S.L.: The Design of Michell Optimum Structures. The college of Aeronautics, Cranfield Report 142 (1960)
Chan, H.S.Y.: Optimum Michell Frameworks for Three Parallel forces. The College of Aeronautics, Cranfield Report 167 (1963)
Cox, H.L.: The Design of Structures of Least Weight. Pergamon Press, Oxford (1965)
Engesser, F.: Ueber die Knickfesrigkeit Gerader StTMbe. Zeitschrift for Architektur und Ingenieurwesen, vol. 35, No. 4 Hannover, reported in Timoshenko, S.P. (1953). History of strength of materials. McGraw-Hill, New York (1889)
Guo, X., Cheng, G.D., Olhoff, N.: Optimum design of truss topology under buckling constraints. Struct. Multidisc. Optim. 30(3), 169–180 (2005)
Karman, T.: Collected woks of Theodore von Karman. Butterworths Scientific Publications, London (1956)
Michell, A.G.M.: The limits of economy of material in frame-structures. Phil. Mag. 8, 589–597 (1904)
Pasini, D.: Shape transformers for material and shape selection of lightweight beams. J. Mater. Design (2006a) in press
Pasini, D.: Material and shape selection for optimizing flexural vibrations in multilayered resonators. J. Microelectromech. Syst. 15(6), 1745–1758 (2006b)
Pasini, D., Smith D.J., Burgess S.C.: (2003), Structural efficiency maps for beams subjected to bending. P. Instn. Mech. Engrs. Part L: J. Mater. Design Appl. 217(3), 207–220
Shanley, F.R.: The column paradox. J. Aeronaut. Sci. 13(12) (1946)
Shanley, F.R.: Weight-strength Analysis of Aircraft Structures, 2nd edn. Dover, New York (1960)
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Eng. Tony Burnett of Metso Minerals Industries Inc., for his support and comments on this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pasini, D., Burgess, S.C. & Smith, D.J. A method for selecting macro-scale structures with axially loaded members. Int J Mech Mater Des 3, 185–199 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10999-007-9022-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10999-007-9022-6