Author(s)

G.E. Stavroulakis

Abstract

Optimal prestress of cracked structures with given frictionless and frictional crack interfaces is studied in this paper. The externally placed prestressing cables are modelled by the pin-load method. The static analysis (state) problem is a symmetric or nonsymmetric variational inequality. The ari- sing nonsmooth and nonconvex optimal control problem is solved by a two level combination of nonsmooth optimization with structural analysis and sensitivity techniques. 1 Introduction Externally placed prestressed cables are used for the reinforcement of cracked (e.g. masonry or reinforced concrete) structures. This method is prefered in applications since the prestressing cables can be used for existing structures with minimum disturbance and min

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