A computer program for the optimal shape design of inner boundary of a annular disk under diametral compression has been developed based on a generalized steepest descent algorithm.
In the optimal design formulation, the design criterion is introduced to minimize the weight of annular disk and the constraints are the radii along inner boundary.
The annular disk under diametral compression has a symmetry for x- and y-axes and the design sensitivity analysis with respect to the change of the coordinates is necessary.
Optimization is demonstrated through the photo-elastic experiment and the results of optimal theory are compared with the results of photoelastic experiment for the annular disk.
