Stiffener layout optimization of plate and shell structures for buckling problem by adaptive growth method

Under axial pressure or shear load, thin-walled plate and shell structures are easily destroyed by buckling. This paper presents the design method for finding the optimal stiffener layout on thin-walled plate and shell structures against the buckling by using the adaptive growth method (AGM), which is based on the growth mechanism of branch systems in nature. Firstly, a mathematical model for optimization of the stiffener layout against buckling is established, and a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT)-based iteration formula is derived. Next, the stiffeners grow or degenerate from “seeds” according to the adaptive growth principle. Several examples, including imperforated and perforated rectangular plates with unilateral axial pressure and shear loading, are demonstrated to validate the effectiveness of the suggested method, and well-defined stiffener layouts are obtained. The results show that the stiffener layout is clear, and the buckling resistance performance of the optimized stiffened structures is greatly improved.