Research | Xiaojia Shelly Zhang

Educational Materials

A comprehensive review of educational articles on structural and multidisciplinary optimization

Download the paper and codes (Tables 1-13 within the paper):

C. Wang, Z. Zhao, M. Zhou, O. Sigmund, and X. S. Zhang. "A comprehensive review of educational articles on structural and multidisciplinary optimization." Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. Vol.64, pp. 2827-2880. 2021. Link to Paper

Courses

Theory and the Creation of Structures (CEE498) — co-instructor: William Baker

Course Topics: New structural theories and principles related to the creation of novel geometries, structures, and modern systems. The course also aims to instruct ways for engineers and architects to approach practical design problems. New structural concepts and theories will be carefully applied to practical and real-world design projects globally. The course also introduces the concepts behind long-span and tall building design.

Structural Design Optimization (CEE578)

Course Topics: Practical aspects, theory, implementation, and utilization of structural optimization in conjunction with analysis tools; state-of-the-art design optimization techniques and their applications to engineering design problems, such as large-scale civil structures and mechanical systems.

Structural Analysis (CEE470)

Course Topics: Modern topics about the direct stiffness method (DSM) for structural analysis of systems with plane trusses, beams, and frames; fundamentals and algorithms; numerical analysis of structural systems; virtual work and energy principles; and introduction to finite element method (FEM). DSM and FEM are the fundamental methods used in modern structural analysis software.

Online Lectures

A Primer on Michell’s Optimality Conditions

Lecture Topics: Maxwell number; Michell number; Load path; Hencky nets; constructions of optimal structures.

These lectures have already been used while collaborating with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill(SOM) to inspire their engineers and architects by providing geometric implications of optimal structures.

University of Illinois

MISSION Laboratory