The　finite　element　model　updating　(FEMU)　and　structural　optimization　of　high-fidelity　numerical　models　for　large　civil　structures　require　significant　computational　resources　and　efficient　optimization　algorithms.　However,　prior　research　has　predominantly　relied　on　commercial　software,　which　has　more　restrictions　compared　to　open-source　ones.　A　cluster　computing-aided　programming　framework　for　the　FEMU　of　large　civil　structures　was　developed　based　on　the　open-source　platforms　OpenSees　and　Python.　The　high-performance　computing　(HPC)　cluster　was　built　to　connect　the　cloud/local　computing　resources.　Then,　the　cluster　computing-aided　particle　swarm　optimization　(PSO)　algorithm,　suitable　for　scientific　computing　on　HPC　cluster,　was　developed.　The　software　interfaces　were　programmed　to　connect　OpenSees　with　HPC　cluster　to　achieve　high-performance　FEMU　and　structural　optimization.　The　advantages　of　the　framework　include　(1)　an　open-source　cluster　computing　platform　suitable　for　FEMU　and　structural　design　optimization　is　developed　utilizing　dispy;　(2)　the　framework　is　convenient　to　use,　highly　efficient　in　computation,　and　is　capable　of　fully　utilizing　both　local　and　cloud　computational　resources　to　improve　computational　efficiency;　and　(3)　it　has　strong　compatibility　and　is　flexible　to　be　customized　for　various　engineering　problems　by　embedding　objective　functions.　Four　examples　were　used　to　illustrate　the　applications　of　this　framework　in　different　fields.