A new formulation of the problem of optimum reinforcement of Reissner-Mindlin plates Original Research Article

A new formulation of the problem of computing the layout of reinforcement of Reissner-Mindlin plates for minimum compliance is presented. Bending and transverse shear stiffness properties of plates with an arbitrary but finite number of local rib directions and widths are computed using standard homogenization techniques. These properties are then expressed in terms of only four variables that fully describe the anisotropy of the plate. The optimization problem is solved in two stages consisting of a local, four-dimensional maximization problem, where a given amount of material is optimally allocated into an arbitrary number of fine scale stiffeners of different widths and orientations, and a global one-dimensional optimization problem, where the optimum spatial layout of material is determined. A discussion of implementation issues is included and an example is solved to illustrate the approach.