A wonderful example inspired from reality highlighted the Altiscad Optimizer capability to optimize the rigidity of a mixt shell and bars structure.

The structure was created as a demonstration and it is loaded with vertical uniform surface loads. Shells elements are centrically oriented and supported in center. All nodes are allowed to be moved on vertical direction (except external supported nodes). The rigidity optimization discovers a spectacular smooth curve shape of membranes. Here are presented initial state and iterations: 4, 7, 11 and 15.