Optimization Case Study Welded Beam Design

This example is taken from Engineering Optimization, Methods and Applications by G.V. Reklaitis, A
Ravindran, and K. M. Ragsdell, published in 1983 by John Wiley & Sons.
A beam is to be welded to a rigid support member. The beam must support a force of 6000 lbf. The beam
dimensions are to be selected so that the system cost is minimized.
Here is a summary of the variables included in the math model, with the solution values.
St Input

14
0.244369
6.21861
8.29147
0.244369
6000
13600
30000

Name

Output

Unit

Comment
Welded Beam

L
x1
x2
x3
x4
F
taud
sigd
M
J
tau1
tau2
taux
y

102656
46.0646
2791.88
11767.5
13600
1.98702

in
in
in
in
in
lbf
psi
psi
in*lbf
in^4
psi
psi
psi
$

Beam length beyond weld

Height of the weld
Length of the weld
Depth of welded beam
Width of welded beam
Force on beam
Design shear stress
Design normal stress for beam material
Moment of F about the center of gravity of the weld
Polar moment of inertia of the weld group
Primary stress on weld throat
Secondary torsional stress on weld
Weld stress
Cost

c1
c2
c3
c4
c5
c6

0.0000374865
0.0000330776
0
0.0000107034
0.119369
0.234241

Constraints

The equations are displayed on the following page.

y = ( 1 + 0.37 0.283 ) x1

x1 x2

2
x2
2

L+

x2
4

R=

+ 0.17 0.283 x3 x4 ( L + x2 )

tau1 =

M= F

2
+

( x3 + x1 )
4

J=2

0.707 x1 x2

tau2 =

M R
J

2
2
x2
( x3 + x1 )
+
12
4

2 2 tau1 tau2 x2
2
tau1 +
+ tau2
2 R

taux =

c1 = taud - taux
6 F L
c2 = sigd 2
x4 x3
c3 = x4 - x1
E = 3E7
I=

1
12

a=

1
3

c4 =

x3 x4

12E6 x3 x4

4.013
L

E I a
2

1-

x3
2 L

E I
a

-F

c5 = x1 - 0.125
c6 = 0.25 -

4 F L
E

3
4

The Optimization Parameters are concisely defined as follows.