Swarm optimization of stiffeners locations in 2-D structures

The paper is devoted to the application of the swarm methods and the finite element method to optimization of the stiffeners location in the 2-D structures (plane stress, bending plates and shells). The structures are optimized for the stress and displacement criteria. The numerical examples demonstrate that the method based on the swarm computation is an effective technique for solving the computer aided optimal design. The additional comparisons of the effectiveness of the particle swarm optimizer (PSO) and evolutionary algorithms (EA) are presented.