Research progress of engineering structural optimization in aerospace field

Recently optimal design for engineering structures is being a research hotspot, and the core technology is structural optimization technology, which is being used in more and more fields. In this paper, its research progress was reviewed which was consists of research condition and prospect in future. Firstly, the fundamental concept of structural optimization was introduced, and then structural optimization levels such as size optimization, shape optimization, and topology optimization and its application in aerospace field were presented. Afterwards, optimization algorithms like optimality criteria methods, mathematical programming methods, and genetic algorithms were reviewed, and finally, probable research directions of structural optimization technology in the future were prospected.