Actuator placement optimization in a Kagome based high authority shape morphing structure

An optimization protocol for a high authority shape morphing plate is described. The shape morphing design incorporates an active back-plane comprising a Kagome truss, capable of changing the shape of a solid face, connected to the back-plane by means of a tetrahedral truss core. Several members of the Kagome truss are replaced by actuators, enabling the structure to deform. The trusses to be replaced depend on the desired deformation, subject to the load capacity of the individual actuators. A two-level scheme is used comprising a heuristic algorithm with a simplex based optimization providing the cost function. It is shown that methods capable of avoiding entrapment in local minima, such as simulated annealing and the genetic algorithm, give good results. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)