Optimization against instability in the large

The combination of geometrically nonlinear analysis with structural optimization against instability opens many possibilities for new formulations of the optimization problem. One of them is optimization against instability in the large. When a critical state does not exist and instability occurs at finite displacements either the lower critical loading is maximized or the generalized displacement for that load is minimized. This paper undertakes these new optimization problems providing formulations and numerical solutions for selected elements. The simple finite dimensional model is analysed first showing characteristic features of the problem, and then a real elastic element is optimized.