The optimal design of a barrel vault in the conceptual design stage

Since the geometry plays a key role in the structural behavior of shell structures, finding the optimal shell geometry is of crucial importance. In this paper, a methodology for structural optimization is proposed and applied for the preliminary design of a barrel vault. Initially, a size optimization is performed for the proposed shape. Adding a quadratic variation of the shell thickness or allowing a curvature change results in a significant volume reduction. The information provided by the optimization about both evaluated design options can be used for a trade-off between aesthetical and economical arguments in order to select a final design.