Journal profile · Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization
ISSN 1615-147X · eISSN 1615-1488 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Monthly · Founded 1989
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization: CAS Zone 3 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.49; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,990; median 138 days to acceptance (105 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 75%; 274 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 3 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Topology Optimization in Engineering, Advanced Multi-Objective Optimization Algorithms and Composite Structure Analysis and Optimization, together about 54.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Civil and Structural Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization is at the converging frontier of design, engineering, simulation, additive manufacturing, AI and digital-twins. The field has become increasingly important for improving environmental sustainability and combating climate change through enhancing efficiency of engineering products. The journal • explores a wide range of topics dealing with optimization involving at least one major engineering discipline such as solid (structural), fluid, thermal, electric and electronics, electromagnetics etc. • covers multidisciplinary optimization when one discipline deals with a major physical performance listed above. • examines closely related fields that are relevant to design optimization. • is the official journal of the International Society of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (ISSMO) The journal’s scope ranges from mathematical foundations of the field to algorithm and software development, and from benchmark examples to case studies of practical applications in a wide range of industries including automotive, aerospace, rail, AEC (architecture, engineering and construction), mechanical, electrical, chemical, naval and bio-medical. Articles that provide broad educational value are also encouraged. Fields such as computer-aided design and manufacturing, additive manufacturing, digital-twins, AI, system identification and modeling, inverse processes, computer simulation, bio-mechanics, biomedical applications, nanotechnology, electric and electronics systems, MEMS, optics, chemical processes, computational biology, uncertainty quantification, meta-modeling, DOE and active control of engineering products are covered when the topic is closely related to the optimization of structures, fluids or another major physics. Past Editors-in-Chief: George I. N. Rozvany (1989-2015) Raphael T. Haftka (2015-2020)
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Editor-in-chief Ming ZhouPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 10 in mainland China (about 16%); most named United States 25, Mainland China 10, South Korea 4, France 4, Australia 3 (61 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Topology Optimization in EngineeringEngineering24.7%
- Advanced Multi-Objective Optimization AlgorithmsComputer Science16.2%
- Composite Structure Analysis and OptimizationEngineering13.7%
- Probabilistic and Robust Engineering DesignDecision Sciences11.4%
- Structural Analysis and OptimizationEngineering4.2%
- Structural Health Monitoring TechniquesEngineering3.7%
- Composite Material MechanicsEngineering2.7%
- Optimal Experimental Design MethodsDecision Sciences2.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mechanics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mechanics | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Mechanics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexINSPECCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, ACM Digital Library, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 4.49LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.9LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.07LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.49LetPub ·
- h-index
- 97LetPub ·
- h-index
- 177OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,651OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.59OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 11.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 25.81%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 268LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,100,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 5,675 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 207 | 87 | 118 |
| 2025 | 274 | 98 | 1,104 |
| 2024 | 224 | 78 | 2,014 |
| 2023 | 243 | 77 | 3,316 |
| 2022 | 352 | 99 | 6,608 |
| 2021 | 334 | 96 | 8,225 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
138 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 111 days – 184 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 34 days (105 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 178 days
- Sample
- 105 articles with submission and acceptance dates (533 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 75%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 10 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer review, Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,990 / EUR 2,990 / GBP 2,590 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted10
- benchmark case studiesBenchmark case studies contain solutions for a set of problems, which are suitable for testing new methods in future resarch papersLength not stated
- book reviewsBook Reviews must present a comprehensive, balanced and critical review of a book in a field related to the scope of the journal.Length not stated
- brief notesBrief Notes must not exceed 4 journal pages, and may describe a preliminary report on ideas and results of major importance.Length not stated
- discussionsDiscussions represent constructive and meaningful comments and criticisms on any publication in the journal, submitted within twelve months of the appearance of…Length not stated
- editorialSingle-blind peer review This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review proce…Length not stated
- educational articlesEducational Articles contain information which is likely to be used in teaching methods of structural and multidisciplinary optimization.Length not stated
- industrial applicationsIndustrial Applications describe practical but challenging applications of structural and multidisciplinary optimization.Length not stated
- issmo newsISSMO News report on events relevant to the International Society of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.Length not stated
- research papersResearch Papers must describe original results of research, including an abstract, an introduction with a literature survey, formulation, derivations and/or alg…Length not stated
- review articlesReview Articles must represent a comprehensive overview of an entire field and preferably should not exceed 18 journal pages whichmust include an exhaustive lit…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
4-6 keywords required Model summary
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
Originality and exclusivity declaration Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Permissions required for previously published material Model summary
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
Single-blind peer review Model summary
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review process for these articles is the same as the peer review process of the journal in general. Additionally, if a guest editor authors an article in their issue/collection, they will not handle the peer review process.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1989
- ISSN
- 1615-147X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1615-1488
- Society / sponsor
- International Society of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization
What CAS zone is Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization is in Zone 3 of Engineering, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications / Engineering, Multidisciplinary / Mechanics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.49; CiteScore 7.9, h-index 177.
How long does peer review take at Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization?
Based on the dates recorded on 105 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 138 days (interquartile range 111–184 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 75%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization based?
Of the 61 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 10 (about 16%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (25), Mainland China (10) and South Korea (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization open access, and what is the APC?
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,990.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .