Automated rib location and optimization for plate structures
For a given loading, the stiffness of a plate or shell structure can be increased significantly by the addition of ribs or stiffeners. Hitherto, the optimization techniques are mainly on the sizing of the ribs. The more important issue of identifying the optimum location of the ribs has received little attention. In this investigation, a methodology has been developed for the automatic determination of the optimum locations of the ribs for a given set of design constraints.
rib location stiffener location stiffness criterion strain energy thickness criterion