Application of evolutionary operation to the minimum cost design of continuous prestressed concrete bridge structure

This paper implements an evolutionary operations based global optimization algorithm for the minimum cost design of a two span continuous prestressed concrete (PC) I-girder bridge structure. Continuity is achieved by applying additional deck slab reinforcement in negative flexure zone. The minimum cost design problem of the bridge is characterized by having a nonlinear constrained objective function, and a combination of continuous, discrete and integer design variables. A global optimization algorithm called EVolutionary OPeration (EVOP), is used which can efficiently solve the presented constrained minimization problem. Minimum cost design is achieved by determining the optimum values of 13 numbers of design variables. All the design constraints for optimization belong to AASHTO Standard Specifications. The paper concludes that the robust search capability of EVOP algorithm has efficiently solved the presented structural optimization problem with relatively small number of objective function evaluation. Minimum design achieved by application of this optimization approach to a practical design example leads to around 36% savings in cost.

[1]  M. Z. Cohn,et al.  Prestressing Optimization and Its Implications for Design , 1984 .

[2]  S.N. Ghani.  Performance of global optimisation algorithm EVOP for non-linear non-differentiable constrained objective functions , 1995, Proceedings of 1995 IEEE International Conference on Evolutionary Computation.

[3]  Zekeriya Aydın,et al.  Optimum topology and shape design of prestressed concrete bridge girders using a genetic algorithm , 2010 .

[4]  U. Kirsch,et al.  Two-level optimization of prestressed structures , 1997 .

[5]  Aimo A. Törn,et al.  Global Optimization , 1999, Science.

[6]  Mostafa A. Hassanain,et al.  Cost optimization of concrete bridge infrastructure , 2003 .

[7]  C. A. Cornell,et al.  A Program for the Optimum Design of Prestressed Concrete Highway Bridges , 1966 .

[8]  Stanislovas Kalanta,et al.  Discrete optimization problems of the steel bar structures , 2009 .

[9]  Michael N. Vrahatis,et al.  Recent approaches to global optimization problems through Particle Swarm Optimization , 2002, Natural Computing.

[10]  M Z Cohn,et al.  OPTIMIZATION OF PRECAST PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGE GIRDER SYSTEM , 1993 .

[11]  Sami M. Fereig.  Economic Preliminary Design of Bridges with Prestressed I-Girders , 1996 .

[12]  V. Toğan,et al.  Optimization of 3d trusses with adaptive approach in genetic algorithms , 2006 .

[13]  Hyo-Gyoung Kwak,et al.  Determination of Strut-and-Tie Models using Evolutionary Structural Optimization , 2002 .

[14]  George G. Dimopoulos,et al.  Mixed-variable engineering optimization based on evolutionary and social metaphors , 2007 .

[15]  Dan M. Frangopol,et al.  Lifetime-oriented multi-objective optimization of structural maintenance considering system reliability, redundancy and life-cycle cost using GA , 2009 .

[16]  S. M. Fereig.  An application of linear programming to bridge design with standard prestressed girders , 1994 .

[17]  Siamak Talatahari,et al.  An improved ant colony optimization for the design of planar steel frames , 2010 .

[18]  Hojjat Adeli,et al.  Cost Optimization of Prestressed Concrete Bridges , 2005 .

[19]  Sami M. Fereig.  Preliminary design of standard CPCI prestressed bridge girders by linear programming , 1985 .

[20]  Raquib Ahsan,et al.  Cost Optimum Design of Posttensioned I-Girder Bridge Using Global Optimization Algorithm , 2012 .

[21]  Samer Barakat,et al.  Application of evolutionary global optimization techniques in the design of RC water tanks , 2009 .

[22]  M. Papadrakakis,et al.  Structural optimization using evolutionary algorithms , 2002 .

[23]  Uri Kirsch,et al.  A bounding procedure for synthesis of prestressed systems , 1985 .

[24]  John Brown,et al.  Schedule of rates , 2010 .

[25]  M. Z. Colin,et al.  Optimization of Structural Concrete Beams , 1984 .

[26]  Feng Liu,et al.  A heuristic particle swarm optimization method for truss structures with discrete variables , 2009 .

[27]  Georg Thierauf,et al.  Parallel evolution strategy for solving structural optimization , 1997 .