Sequential Semidefinite Program for Maximum Robustness Design of Structures

A robust structural optimization scheme as well as an optimization algorithm are presented based on the robustness function. Under the uncertainties of external forces based on the info-gap model, the maximization problem of the robustness function is formulated as an optimization problem with infinitely many constraints. By using the quadratic embedding technique of uncertainty and the S-procedure, we reformulate the problem presented into a nonlinear semidefinite programming problem. A sequential semidefinite programming method is proposed which has the global convergent property. It is shown through numerical examples that optimum designs of various linear elastic structures can be found without any difficulty.