Design of tensegrity structures by minimizing static compliance

This paper presents a new approach to simultaneously obtain the optimal design parameters of tensegrity structures, including prestress force and sectional area of elements. The proposed method is based on minimizing the static compliance in terms of some linear and nonlinear constraints using a genetic algorithm tool. This work is devoted to optimize the concurrent cross sectional area of element and pre-stress of a tensegrity system which works under the applied external loading along with a fixed topology and shape. An increase in the rigidity of systems is one of the outcomes of modifying of tensegrity structures according to optimal design parameters. The validation, efficiency and characteristics of proposed algorithm to find the optimum values for design variables of tensegrity structures is tested through three known tensegray structures.