Abstract
In this work the basics of parallel computer architectures and some popular parallelization strategies are described. Simulated annealing (SA), a stochastic, discrete optimization technique, is chosen for its global capability, robustness, and suitability for parallel processing. The concept of 'shakeup' in SA, which simulates reannealing, is introduced. The beneficial effects of shakeup for escaping local optima is demonstrated by solving a 2D multimodal optimization problem. A pin-jointed 10-storied multibay plane truss structure is considered as an example optimization problem and has been solved using both serial as well as parallel versions of the SA algorithm. The parallel result, achieved with a relatively small parallel configuration of the computer, indicates that very large structural designs can be optimized in much shorter times along with high probability of achieving global solutions even on moderately sized parallel computers. (Author)