ABSTRACT
In order to find effective shapes of shell structures many ideas have been investigated and proposed (see e.g. references in Bletzinger 1999). The shape optimization approach discussed in this paper is based on a design element technique. As a design element a rational Bézier body is chosen. The thickness of the shell may also be variable. This is achieved by enhancing the design element with a smooth scalar field and by further linking it with the shell thickness. The scalar field is introduced by attaching an additional scalar quantity (called value of the control point) to each control point of the Bézier body and by employing the interpolation functions of the design element.
