TMMS20 · 6 credits · Advanced level (A1N) · Flygteknik, Maskinteknik
Structural Optimization
Active · next start HT 2026
93%
passed the latest ordinary exam
TEN1 · 12 Jan 2026 · 29 students
82%
passed the ordinary exams, all sittings over the last 5 years
TEN1 · 146 students
41%
Harder than 41% of courses at advanced level
Compared with 285 courses at the same level, ordinary exams over the last three academic years. 62 students.
Part of 3 programmes
Exam
TEN1 Written Examination
- 5
- 4
- 3
- U
Ordinary exams
82% passed · 146 students
- 93%29
- 85%33
- 68%37
- 85%20
- 85%27
Re-exams
63% passed · 16 students
- 100%7
- 33%9
- Pass the re-exam: 63% (16 students), compared with 82% (146 students) on the ordinary exam
- Get 4 or 5: 54% (162 students)
Show small sittings (6)
Sittings with fewer than 5 students, often credit transfers or special sittings. They are not part of any figure on this page.
- 50%2
- 67%3
- 67%3
- 100%1
- 50%4
- 50%2
Other modules
Partial exams, hand-ins and labs. They are not part of the figures at the top.
Hand-in or lab
UPG1 Laboratory Work
- G
Main rounds
100% passed · 139 students
- 100%27
- 100%18
- 100%13
- 100%37
- 100%18
- 100%26
Later rounds
No sittings with at least 5 students.
Show small sittings (8)
Sittings with fewer than 5 students, often credit transfers or special sittings. They are not part of any figure on this page.
- 100%2
- 100%1
- 100%1
- 100%1
- 100%1
- 100%1
- 100%1
- 100%1
About the course
Aim
In structural optimization we study the problem of finding the best mechanical design. The word "best" has to be given a certain meaning, it could be to minimize the structural weight or to maximize the stiffness. The course aims at giving knowledge and understanding of how such maximum efficient load-carrying structures may be obtained, and skill in using the corresponding computer based tools. After the course the students should be able to
- Formulate engineering design problems for load carrying structures as optimization problems, using both size, shape and topological variables.
- Solve small-scale discrete problems.
- Describe numerical algorithms suitable for structural optimization problems.
- Solve some continuous structural optimization problems using calculus of variations.
- Use and describe the general steps involved in solving large scale shape and topology optimization problems.
Content
Basic concepts. Classification of structural optimization problems. Lagrangian duality. Calculus of variations and energy principles in solid mechanics. Explicit approximations: SLP, SQP, CONLIN, OC, MMA. Sensitivity analysis. Shape optimization. Structures of maximum stiffness and topology optimization. The SIMP-method. Computer exercises.
- Examiner
- Carl-Johan Thore
- Scheduled hours
- 48 h
- Main field of study
- Flygteknik, Maskinteknik