Optimal Design of Thin-Walled Cylinders of Variable Wall-Thickness Subject to Flexural and Torsional Stiffness Constraints

ABSTRACT

This paper considers the problem of determining center-line shape and wall-thickness distribution of a thin-walled cylinder of given center-line length that uses the minimum possible amount of material to achieve prescribed minimum stiffnesses in torsion and bending in a given plane. Necessary optimality conditions are derived and the solution is found partly in closed form and partly by numerical methods. Optimal solutions are presented for various stiffness ratios and compared with other admissible designs.

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Notes on contributors

Richard D. Parbery∗

On leave from: Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Newcastle, N.S.W. 2308, Australia