Interval optimization for uncertain structures

This paper presents an interval optimization method to solve the uncertain problems of the vibration systems with multi-degrees of freedom, where the structural characteristics are assumed to be expressed as interval parameters. Combining the interval extension of function with the first-order Taylor expansions of the functions, the interval optimization method is derived. The present method is implemented for a torsional vibration system and a frame structure. The numerical results show that the method is effective, and that the present method can provide more information about the optimization results than those obtained by the deterministic optimization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]