Optimal design of bar structures with their supports in problems of stability and free vibrations

The problem of maximization of the buckling load and the problem of maximization of the natural vibration frequency under a condition imposed on the global cost is discussed. Cross-sectional areas of bar structures and number of elastic supports, their positions and stiffnesses (or the number and positions of rigid supports) are selected as design parameters. The proposed here algorithm of optimization of bar structures with their supports is applied for analysis of some optimization problems. Illustrative examples confirm applicability of the proposed approach.