Possibility of Identifying Unknown Applied Loads based on Optimality of Structural Shape

Abstract

This paper considers the possibility of identifying unknown applied loads when a structure has an optimal shape for the loads. First, a shape-optimization problem is solved for given forces by the inverse-variational-shape-determination method. The optimality in the method is the uniformity of the strain energy densities calculated on the surface of the structure for assumed loads. Second, the true loads are searched for by minimizing the variance of the strain energy densities from several points on the surface with respect to unknown load parameters.