An adjoint variable method for structural design sensitivity analysis of a distinct eigenvalue problem

New adjoint variable method for design sensitivity analysis of distinct eigenvlaues and eigenvectors is presented. In the viewpoint of efficiency for the design sensitivity analysis of eigenvectors especially, the developed adjoint variable method is required to compute adjoint variables from simultaneous linear equations, the so-called adjoint equations, instead of linear combination of eigenvectors. Once we obtain the adjoint variables, design sensitivity analysis of response function that is given in terms of eigenvalues, eigenvectors and design variables can be computed directly. In this way, design sensitivity analysis of eigenvectors can be obtained by using eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors of the mode being differentiated only. To verify the proposed method, numerical examples are demonstrated. This can have considerable impact on computer implementation of the developed method in the design sensitivity analysis of eigenproblem needed for practical applications.