• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.16 no.6 s.73
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• pp.819-832
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• 2004

This study describes an efficient and facile method for configuration optimum design of structures. One of the ways to achieve numerical shape representation and the selection of design variables is using the design element concept. Using this technique, the number of design variables could be drastically reduced. Isoparametric mapping was utilized to automatically generate the finite element mesh during the optimization process, and this made it possible to easily calculate the derivatives of the coordinates of generated finite element nodes w.r.t. the design variables. For the structural analysis, finite element analysis was adopted in the optimization procedure, and two different techniques(the deterministic method, a modified method of feasible direction; and the stochastic method, a genetic algorithms) were applied to obtain the minimum volumes and section areas for an efficient configuration optimization procedure. Futhermore, spline interpolation was introduced to present a realistic optimum configuration that meet the manufacturing requirements. According to the results of several numerical examples(steel structures), the two techniques suggested in this study simplified the process of configuration optimum design of structures, and yielded improved objective function values with a robust convergence rate. This study's applicability and capability have therefore been demonstrated.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.413-420
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• 2012

In this study, the Kernel integration scheme for 2D linear elastic direct boundary element method has been discussed on the basis of subparametric element. Usually, the isoparametric based boundary element uses same polynomial order in the both basis function and mapping function. On the other hand, the order of mapping function is lower than the order of basis function to define displacement field when the subparametric concept is used. While the logarithmic numerical integration is generally used to calculate Kernel integration as well as Cauchy principal value approach, new formulation has been derived to improve the accuracy of numerical solution by algebraic modification. The subparametric based direct boundary element has been applied to 2D elliptical partial differential equation, especially for plane stress/strain problems, to demonstrate whether the proposed algebraic expression for integration of singular Kernel function is robust and accurate. The problems including cantilever beam and square plate with a cutout have been tested since those are typical examples of simple connected and multi connected region cases. It is noted that the number of DOFs has been drastically reduced to keep same degree of accuracy in comparison with the conventional isoparametric based BEM. It is expected that the subparametric based BEM associated with singular Kernel function integration scheme may be extended to not only subparametric high order boundary element but also subparametric high order dual boundary element.