Automated optimum design of structures using genetic programming

Traditionally, the open-domain optimum design of truss structures is solved using conceptual designs which are often based on their ground structures. However, the ground structures are problem-dependent and usually require relatively deep understanding of the problem. This paper presents a genetic programming (GP) based methodology for the automated optimum designs of structures using an approach which is free from ground structures. Thus, it has few requirements about the domain knowledge of the problem and is less problem-dependent. Illustrative example is also presented to show that, compared with genetic algorithm, GP is more flexible and has higher search efficiency when it is employed to solve open-domain structural design problems. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.