Abstract: To obtain the optimal design of membrane structures satisfying the stress constraints, according to the full stress criterion and the assumption of statically determined system, the thickness of membrane structures with stress constraints is optimized. With the ratios of design thickness to initial thickness of membrane elements as design variables, design variables linking is implemented by dimensionless design variables. By secondly developing the MSC. Nastran&Patran software with MSC. PCL (Patran command language), the sectional optimization program of membrane structures is implemented. The results of examples show the reliability and efficiency of the program and algorithm.