This volume constitutes an important addition in our Lecture Notes in Engineering Series. The search for optimal structural shapes is at the fourtdation of all engineering analysis. Furthermore el)gineering as a whole can be seen as a process of looking for optimum solutions. The importance of Dr Chibani's work is that it deals with the integrated process of analysing and designing the optimum structure in a single operation. The design shape as well as the usual structural constraints are incQr.porated into the mathematical problem. This approach which is more suitable to computer...