A NUMERICAL PROCEDURE FOR OPTIMUM TRANSFORMATION PATH OF VARIABLE GEOMETRY STRUCTURES

Most of the structures of variable geometry are designed as statically determinate structures since they can vary their shape by changing the length of members without accompanying any redundant inner forces. However most of the general structures involves statically indeterminacy and control of redundant inner forces enable us to control stress distribution in the structures. In the paper we describe how to select the member lengths changes that involves no redundant inner forces, without asking statically determinacy of the structure. Then we propose to calculate the optimum transformation path of the structure starting from initial given shape to the final objective configuration without associated any redundant inner force. Some numerical examples are also given and discussed.