Science Explorer Interactive view Map

Structural Analysis and Optimization

Structural Analysis and Optimization is a research topic within Civil and Structural Engineering. Science Explorer counts 35k research works in it since 1950. 19.3% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

This cluster of papers focuses on the analysis and design of tensegrity structures, including form-finding methods, deployable structures for space applications, rigidity matroids, wrinkling analysis, structural optimization, dynamic behavior, and control and simulation. The papers cover a wide range of topics related to the mechanical properties and applications of tensegrity structures.

  • Tensegrity
  • Form-Finding
  • Deployable Structures
  • Rigidity Matroids
  • Space Applications
  • Wrinkling Analysis
  • Structural Optimization
  • Dynamic Behavior
  • Control and Simulation
  • Mechanical Properties
Research works
35k
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
6.9k
per year above
Top-10% rate
19.3%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+17%
the tick is no change

Which countries lead Structural Analysis and Optimization research?

By volume, China and the United States publish the most (2.1k and 549 works in 2022–2025).

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China 2.1k works
  2. 2 United States 549 works
  3. 3 India 450 works
  4. 4 Italy 226 works
  5. 5 Japan 220 works
  6. 6 United Kingdom 198 works
  7. 7 Germany 185 works
  8. 8 Iran 163 works
  9. 9 Russia 124 works
  10. 10 France 124 works

How concentrated that is

The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.

China: 48.2%United States: 12.7%India: 10.4%Italy: 5.2%6 others listed: 23.4%48%largest
China2,085 · 48.2%United States549 · 12.7%India450 · 10.4%Italy226 · 5.2%6 others listed1,012 · 23.4%

Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.

Which institutions lead Structural Analysis and Optimization research?

By volume in 2022–2025, Harbin Institute of Technology publishes the most Structural Analysis and Optimization research, followed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Dalian University of Technology.

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Harbin Institute of Technology China 97 works
  2. 2 Shanghai Jiao Tong University China 54 works
  3. 3 Dalian University of Technology China 49 works
  4. 4 Zhejiang University China 46 works
  5. 5 Southeast University China 45 works
  6. 6 Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics China 45 works
  7. 7 Northwestern Polytechnical University China 42 works
  8. 8 China Academy of Space Technology China 42 works
  9. 9 Beihang University China 41 works
  10. 10 Tianjin University China 40 works

Who are the leading researchers in Structural Analysis and Optimization?

The most-cited researchers publishing on Structural Analysis and Optimization include Seeram Ramakrishna, Lei Jiang and Brian D. O. Anderson.

  1. 1 Seeram Ramakrishna 5.1k citations
  2. 2 Lei Jiang 3.8k citations
  3. 3 Brian D. O. Anderson 3.6k citations
  4. 4 John W. Hutchinson 3.2k citations

Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.

Where is Structural Analysis and Optimization research done?

The largest centres of Structural Analysis and Optimization research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Shanghai (China), Xi'an (China) and Nanjing (China). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Qinhuangdao and Harbin.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 377 works
  2. 2 Shanghai China 168 works
  3. 3 Xi'an China 153 works
  4. 4 Nanjing China 140 works
  5. 5 Harbin China 134 works
  6. 6 Hangzhou China 91 works
  7. 7 Tokyo Japan 85 works
  8. 8 Tianjin China 75 works
  9. 9 Wuhan China 64 works
  10. 10 Tehran Iran 63 works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. QinhuangdaoCN · 25.6 works11×
  2. HarbinCN · 134.1 works5.9×
← less than its size predictsmore →

Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Structural Analysis and Optimization than the world average.

See Structural Analysis and Optimization on the map

Where is the best place to study Structural Analysis and Optimization?

Among universities, judged by research, University of Kashan, RMIT University and Khalifa University of Science and Technology score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.

0%20%40%60%mean 32.86%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →University of Kashan: 9, 40.6%RMIT University: 13, 47.6%Khalifa University of Science and Technology: 11, 48.1%Harbin Institute of Technology: 98, 25.5%Anhui Jianzhu University: 9, 47.7%Indian Institute of Technology Madras: 19, 24.0%Dalian University of Technology: 49, 21.2%Beihang University: 42, 32.9%Politecnico di Torino: 29, 19.7%Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics: 45, 21.3%Khalifa University o…RMIT UniversityUniversity of KashanHarbin Institute of …
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.

#UniversityScoreTop 10%SpecialisationWorksGrowth
1University of Kashan Iran 68.540.6%23.1×9 +459.3%
2RMIT University Australia 66.047.6%6.5×13 +89.2%
3Khalifa University of Science and Technology United Arab Emirates 64.948.1%7.7×11
4Harbin Institute of Technology China 63.425.5%10.5×98 -36.5%
5Anhui Jianzhu University China 62.747.7%17.9×9
6Indian Institute of Technology Madras India 56.524.0%7.3×19 +254.8%
7Dalian University of Technology China 55.721.2%9.0×49 +17.0%
8Beihang University China 54.832.9%6.6×42 +13.8%
9Politecnico di Torino Italy 54.519.7%11.2×29 -5.0%
10Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics China 54.021.3%8.9×45 +10.8%

Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.

Is Structural Analysis and Optimization research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 17% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Structural Analysis and Optimization.

19801990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Which topics inside it are moving

Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.