Minimization of the expected compliance as an alternative approach to multiload truss optimization

• DOI: 10.1007/s00158-004-0488-7
• Publication Date: 2004-10-25T07:56:37Z
• Authors: F. Alvarez; M. Carrasco
• Keywords: 0203 mechanical engineering; 02 engineering and technology

We show that a problem of finding the truss of minimum expected compliance under stochastic loading conditions is equivalent to the dual of a special convex minimax problem, and therefore may be efficiently solved. This equivalence makes it possible to provide classic multiload compliance minimization problems with interpretations in a probabilistic setting. In fact, we prove that minimizing the expected compliance amounts to solving a multiload-like problem associated with a particular finite set of loading scenarios, which depend on the mean and the variance of the perturbations.