The problem of choosing the optimal design solution is a multi-purpose complex task, the solution of which requires taking into account a wide range of requirements for different stages of implementation. There are several levels of solving optimal design problems. The first level deals with general design models, including the main structural elements, taking into account the physical and geometric features of their behavior. This level can be called the "global" level of optimization. Due to the fact that the automated calculation of structures is impossible without the use of finite element models, and at the next "detailed" level, the parameters that make up this model (coordinates of nodes, physical and geometric properties of individual elements, etc.)
The choice of a finite element model for optimal design is directly related to the complexity (the possibility of computer implementation) of the optimal design problem. To reduce the computational procedures associated with solving the problem of numerical analysis, an approach based on the approximation of system parameters (displacements, forces, frequencies, waveforms, etc.) can be used.
The problem of forced oscillations for shells of minimal surfaces is solved by the finite element method using the Lagrange's variational principle. The potential and kinetic deformation energies of the shell of a minimal surface are defined in matrix form as the sum of the potential and kinetic energies of each finite element.
The optimization algorithm for single-criterion parametric optimization is performed as follows: the objective function is the weight of the shell of the minimum surface on a circular contour consisting of two inclined ellipses, the design variables are the thickness of the shell, and the constraints are represented by the first forced vibration frequency. The results of changing the objective function are a decrease in the weight of the shell by 3050 kg of C240 steel, which is a percentage equivalent of 13.4% without loss of strength and stability of the shell of the minimum surface on a circular contour consisting of two inclined ellipses, which proves the effectiveness of the authors' methodology.