Sizing design sensitivity analysis of non-linear structural systems. II: Numerical method

A numerical technique for calculating sizing design sensitivity on the basis of postprocessing data (stress and strain fields) from FEM analyses is described and demonstrated. The procedure is intended to account for geometric and material nonlinearities and combines a distributed-parameter approach (to retain the continuum elasticity formulation throughout) and an adjoint-variable method. The theoretical basis and derivation of the method are given in detail, and numerical results for a dome structure, a cantilever beam, and a swept wing are presented in extensive tables. (T.K.)