This volume constitutes an important addition in our "Lecture Notes in Engineering" Series. The search for optimal structural shapes is at the fourtdation of all engineering analysis. Furthermore el)gineering as a whole can be seen as a process of looking for optimum solutions. The importance of Dr Chibani's work is that it deals with the integrated process of analysing and designing the optimum structure in a single operation. The design shape as well as the usual structural constraints are incQr.porated into the mathematical problem. This approach which is more suitable to computer applications has the difficulty of introducing a large number of variables and constraints equations. To overcome this problcm Dr Chibani proposes to apply a multilevel optimization technique which rcduces the dimensionaiity of a large scalc structural problem. The hook exp.I.111ns how a large optimization problem can be divided into Hcvcral partH of .1 smaller dimension which can then be solved eithcr scquentially or in parallel to obtain the solution of the original problem. Applicationsto these type structures provide a demonstration of the effectiveness of the procedure.
