• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.31-51
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• 2012

This paper presents a computational study that explores the design of rigid steel frames by considering construction related costs. More specifically, two different aspects are investigated in this study focusing on the effects of (a) reducing the number of labor intensive rigid connections within a frame of given geometric layout, and (b) reducing the number of different member section types used in the frame. A genetic algorithm based optimization framework searches design space for these objectives. Unlike some studies that express connection cost as a factor of the entire frame weight, here connections and their associated cost factors are explicitly represented at the member level to evaluate the cost of connections associated with each beam. In addition, because variety in member section types can drive up construction related costs, its effects are evaluated implicitly by generating curves that show the trade off between cost and different numbers of section types used within the frame. Our results show that designs in which all connections are considered to be rigid can be excessively conservative: rigid connections can often be eliminated without any appreciable increase in frame weight, resulting in a reduction in overall cost. Eliminating additional rigid connections leads to further reductions in cost, even as frame weight increases, up to a certain point. These complex relationships between overall cost, rigid connections, and member section types are presented for a representative five-story steel frame.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2019

In global competition manufacturing companies have to produce modern, new constructions from advanced materials in order to increase competitiveness. The aim of my research was to develop a new composite cellular plate structure, which can be primarily used for structural elements of road, rail, water and air transport vehicles (e.g. vehicle bodies, ship floors). The new structure is novel and innovative, because all materials of the components of the newly developed structure are composites (laminated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) deck plates with pultruded Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) stiffeners), furthermore combines the characteristics of sandwich and cellular plate structures. The material of the structure is much more advantageous than traditional steel materials, due mainly to its low density, resulting in weight savings, causing lower fuel consumption and less environmental damage. In the study the optimal construction of a given geometry of a structural element of a road truck trailer body was defined by single- and multi-objective optimization (minimal cost and weight). During the single-objective optimization the Flexible Tolerance Optimization method, while during the multi-objective optimization the Particle Swarm Optimization method were used. Seven design constraints were considered: maximum deflection of the structure, buckling of the composite plates, buckling of the stiffeners, stress in the composite plates, stress in the stiffeners, eigenfrequency of the structure, size constraint for design variables. It was confirmed that the developed structure can be used principally as structural elements of transport vehicles and unit load devices (containers) and can be applied also in building construction.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.376-381
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• 2007

The geometric configuration in the weight-reduced structure is very required to be started from the conceptual design with low cost, high performance and quality. In this point, a structural-topological shape concerned with conceptual design of structure is important. The method used in this paper combines three optimization techniques, where the shape and physical dimensions of the structure and material distribution are hierachically optimized, with the maximum rigidity of structure and lightweight.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.94-101
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• 2023

Automotive wheel bearings are a critical component of vehicles that support their weight and facilitate rotation. Life and stiffness are significant performance characteristics of wheel bearings. Designing wheel bearings involves finding optimal design variables that satisfy both performances. CO₂ emission reduction and fuel efficiency regulations attribute to the recent increase in design requirements for lightweight and compact automotive parts while maintaining performance. However, achieving a design that maintains performance while reducing weight poses challenges, as performance and weight are generally inversely proportional. In this study, we perform design optimization of automotive wheel bearings considering life and stiffness. We develop a program that calculates the basic rated life and modified rated life based on international standards for evaluating the life of wheel bearings. We develop a regression equation using regression analysis to address the time-consuming stiffness analysis during repetitive analysis. We perform ANOVA and main effect analyses to understand the statistical characteristics of the developed regression equation. Furthermore, we verify its reliability by comparing the predicted and test results. We perform design optimization using the developed life prediction program, stiffness regression equation and weight regression equation. We select bearing specifications and geometry as design variables, weight as the cost function, and life and stiffness as constraints. Through design optimization, we investigate the influence of design variables on the cost function and constraints by comparing the initial and optimal design values.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2013.01a
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• pp.494-496
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• 2013

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) is a systematic optimization process that allows users to compare different alternatives and to determine if a project is a solid investment. Many state DOTs have included CBA in their pavement management systems (PMSs) to help allocate state funds for maintenance, rehabilitation, resurfacing, and reconstruction of pavements. In a typical CBA, each pavement type has an assigned weight factor which represents the level of importance of this pavement type. To conduct an accurate CBA, it is essential to select appropriate weight factors. Arbitrarily assigning weights factors to pavements can lead to biased and inaccurate funding allocation decisions. The purpose for this paper is to outline a method to develop an ideal set of weight factors that can be utilized to conduct more accurate CBA. To this end, a matrix of all possible weight factors sets was developed. CBA was conducted for each set of weight factors to obtain a population of possible optimization solutions. Then a regression analysis was performed to establish the relationship between benefit and weight factors. Finally, a multi-objective genetic algorithm was applied to select the optimal set of weight factors. The findings from this study can be used by state DOTs to strategically manage their roadway systems in a cost effective manner.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.37 no.E
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• pp.31-39
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• 1995

Weight minimization for the steel bridge girders using an approximation based optimization technique is presented. To accomplish this, an optimization oriented finite element program is used to achieve continuous weight reduction until the optimum is reached. To reduce computational cost, approximation techniques are adopted during the optimization process. Constraint deletion as well as intermediate design variables and responses are also used for higher qualitv of approximations and for a better convergence rate. Both the reliability and the effectiveness of the underlying optimization method are reviewed.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.591-598
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• 2002

In the ship structural design, the material cost of hull weight and the overall cost of construction processes should be minimized considering safety and reliability. In the past, minimum weight design has been mainly focused on reducing material cost and increasing dead weight reflect the interests of a ship's owner. But, in the past experience, the minimum weight design has been inevitably lead to increasing the construction cost. Therefore, it is necessary that the designer of ship structure should consider both structural weight and construction cost. In this point of view, multi-objective optimization technique is proposed to design the ship structure in this study. According to the proposed algorithm, the results of optimization were compared to the structural design of actual VLCC(Very Large Crude Oil Carrier). Objective functions were weight cost and construction cost of VLCC, and ES(Evolution Strategies), one of the stochastic search methods, was used as an optimization solver. For the scantlings of members and the estimations of objectives, classification rule was adopted for the longitudinal members, and the direct calculation method, GSDM(Generalized Slope Deflection Method), lot the transverse members. To choose the most economical design point among the results of Pareto optimal set, RFR(Required Freight Rate) was evaluated for each Pareto point, and compared to actual ship.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1261-1267
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• 2014

It is generally recognize that the weight of energy cost for railroad alignment in the life cycle cost is higher than that for roadway. This study analyzed the relative weights of railroad road-bed construction cost and energy cost in the case of Seoul-Pusan High Speed Rail. Recently, the optimization of railroad alignment with computerized methodology has been studies. The optimization is supposed to aim the minimization of life cycle cost including the energy cost as well as the minimization of the construction cost. The operation period of the Seoul-Pusan High Speed Rail is limited to ten years, then various future operation scenario were developed for the next 20 years. The weight of energy cost is estimated 10~30% of the construction cost by scenario, and it is lower than the figure generally expected. It may be meaningful to provide the method to include the energy cost in the railroad alignment optimization.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.603-617
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• 2022

Structural design, in general, is developed through trial and error technique which is guided by standards criteria and based on the intuition and experience of the engineer, a context that leads to structural over-dimensioning, with uneconomic solutions. Aiming to find the optimal design, structural optimization methods have been developed to find a balance between cost, structural safety, and material performance. These methods have become a great opportunity in the steel structural engineering domain since they have as their main purpose is weight minimization, a factor directly correlated to the real cost of the structure. Assuming an objective function of minimum weight with stress and displacement constraints provided by Brazilian standards, the present research proposes the sizing optimization and combined approach of sizing and shape optimization, through a software developed to implement the Simulated Annealing metaheuristic algorithm. Therefore, two steel plane frame layouts, each admitting four typical truss geometries, were proposed in order to expose the difference between the optimal solutions. The assessment of the optimal solutions indicates a notable weight reduction, especially in sizing and shape optimization combination, in which the quantity of design variables is increased along with the search space, improving the efficiency of the optimal solutions achieved.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.451-455
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• 2003

Major concern in modern industry is how to reduce the time and cost for product efficient production. Among many mechanical parts of a satellite, bracket plays an important role to support the load when the satellite is launched to space. so enough strength and stiffness. A designer could add unnecessary material and strength it so as not to fail when it used. But if mechanical part of satellite is over-designed, cost will rise and it also goes against to the aim of lightness. To achieve lightness and enough strength and stiffness, optimization algorithm should be introduced in design process. In this study, conceptual design of bracket is carried out to increase the performance of satellite. Some parameter which could change the weight of this part are selected as design variables. Total weight of bracket is to be minimized while displacement and stress should not exceed limit. Size optimization is done with 3D solid element and PLBA, the RQP algorithm. The weight of 0.262kg of initial model is reduced to 0.241kg after optimization process, so 9.8% of weight reduction is obtained.