Three-center　shell　structure　is　often　adopted　in　the　domain　of　national　defense,　aviation　and　spaceflight,　and　so　on.　The　generatrix　of　three-center　shell　structure　is　composed　of　three　arcs　with　three　centers,　so　the　name　is　called.　The　three-center　shell　structure　has　few　adjustable　parameter　variables　and　less　potential　of　optimization.　The　three-center　shell　structure　is　developed　to　five-center　shell　structure　to　increase　the　adjustable　parameter　variables,　and　then　to　optimize　the　structure.　Combining　the　response　surface　method　and　the　parameterized　model,　the　model　with　structural　weight　as　object　function　and　structural　strength　as　constraint　is　built.　According　to　the　structural　shape,　the　independent　design　variables　are　selected.　The　analytical　expression　of　the　structural　weight　and　the　first　derivative　of　the　structural　weight　to　the　design　variables　are　deduced　to　get　the　one-order　Taylor　expression.　Adopting　the　response　surface　method　to　obtain　the　one-order　expression　of　the　maximal　stress　to　the　design　variables,　the　shape　optimization　model　in　linear　programming　form　is　built.　The　analysis　model　is　built　by　programming　with　MSC/PCL　(Patran　Command　Language),　and　the　parameters　about　design　variables　are　parameterized.　The　structure　is　continually　modified　in　the　process　of　iteration,　and　the　optimal　design　is　obtained　at　last.　The　numerical　examples　show　that　the　method　is　very　flexible　and　can　be　used　widely,　and　the　optimization　results　are　stable　and　exact.