Problem description:

To begin with, we have developed an Excel collecting the characteristics mentioned in

the table above. Our objective is to determine which of the materials is the optimum for
the solution. In order to determine this, the material index method should be followed:
1. Identify function, constraints, objective and free variables.
2. Write down equation for objective-the performance equation.
a. If objective involves a free variable (other than material):
i. Identify the constraint that limits it.
ii. Use this to eliminate the free variable in performance equation
3. Read off the combination of material properties that maximizes performance-
the material index.
4. Use this for ranking.
 Resolution:
1. Identifying process

Function Colum
Objectives Minimum cost
Constraints Compression
Buckling
Force applied (F)
Hight (H)
Free variables Material
Diameter (D)
2. Write down equation for objective-the performance equation.

𝑃 = 𝑓(𝐹, 𝐻, 𝐷, 𝜌, 𝐶, 𝐸, 𝜎𝑐 )
𝜋
𝐶= · 𝜋 · 𝐷2 𝐻𝐶𝑚 𝜌
4
Compression failure should be avoided:
4𝐹 𝐶𝑚 𝜌
𝜎𝑐 ≤ → 𝐶1 = 𝐹𝐻 [ ]
𝜋𝐷2 𝜎𝑐
The column should not buckle:

𝜋 2 𝐸𝐼 2 1 𝐶𝑚 𝜌
𝐹≤ 2
→ 𝐶2 = 1 · 𝐹 2 𝐻 2 [ 1 ]
𝐻
𝜋2 𝐸2
𝜋𝐷4
𝐼=
64
In addition to the material, there is a second free variable, the diameter (D). The
constraints that limit it is the following:

2
4𝐹 4 · 105 (𝑁)
𝐷 ≤ =
𝜋𝜎𝑐 𝜋𝜎𝑐
4
2 𝜋𝐷
𝜋 2 𝐸𝐼 𝜋 𝐸 64 𝜋 3 𝐸𝐷4
𝐹≤ = =
𝐻2 9 (𝑚2 ) 576 (𝑚2 )
576
𝐹· ≤ 𝐷4
𝜋3𝐸
Now, we can eliminate the diameter from the performance equation:

𝑃 = 𝑓(𝐹, 𝐻, 𝜌, 𝐶, 𝑀, 𝐶𝑚 )
𝜋 4𝐹
𝐶= · · 𝐻𝐶𝑚 𝜌
4 𝜎𝑐
 2 1 𝐶𝑚 𝜌
𝐶2 = 2 2
1·𝐹 𝐻 [ 1 ]
𝜋2 𝐸2
𝐶𝑚 𝜌
𝐶1 = 𝐹𝐻 [ ]
𝜎𝑐
Material Density (kg/m3) Cost (€/kg) Modulus (Mpa) Compression Resistance (Mpa) c1 c2
Wood 700 0,5 10000 25 4E+06 6344,697216
Bricks 2100 0,35 22000 95 2E+06 8982,94738
Granite 2600 0,6 20000 150 3E+06 19996,42956
Concrete 2300 0,08 20000 13 4E+06 2358,55323
Steel 7150 0,25 130000 200 3E+06 8987,051519
Structural Steel 7850 0,4 210000 300 3E+06 12421,18007
Aluminum 6061 2700 1,2 69000 150 6E+06 22359,56354

As our objective is to determine the material with the minimum cost for our function, at
first, I would choose the Bricks. But this is not enough because the veracity of the
constraints should be checked.

Using the constraints of D I have obtained that the Diameter should be between the
following limits in order to fulfil the constraints.

3.03𝑚 ≤ 𝐷 ≤ 36.60𝑚