Optimization of elastic annular plates subject to thermal loadings with respect to vibration

In the paper, the optimization of annular plates subject to circularly symmetric distribution of thermal loading with respect to vibration frequency is considered. What is searched for is such a distribution of plate thickness of a constant volume which maximizes its lowest vibration frequency. The studies are confined to a plate clamped at the inner and outer edges and to one type of non-homogeneous temperature distribution. The inequality constraints on the minimal and maximal values of the plate thickness are taken into account. The applied method of solution is the Pontryagin maximum principle combined with sensitivity analysis and a gradient procedure.