• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.5 no.3 s.17
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• pp.117-122
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• 2005

This paper investigated the optimum design of truss structures based on Genetic Algorithms (GA's). With GA's characteristic of running side by side, the overall optimization and feasible operation, the optimum design model of truss structures was established. Elite models were used to assure that the best units of the previous generation had access to the evolution of current generation. Using of non-uniformity mutation brought the obvious mutation at earlier stage and stable mutation in the later stage; this benefited the convergence of units to the best result. In addition, to avoid GA's drawback of converging to local optimization easily, by the limit value of each variable was changed respectively and the genetic operation was performed two times, so the program could work more efficiently and obtained more precise results. Finally, by simulating evolution process of nature biology of a kind self-organize, self-organize, artificial intelligence, this paper established continuous structural optimization model for ten bars cantilever truss, and obtained satisfactory result of optimum design. This paper further explained that structural optimization is practicable with GA's, and provided the theoretic basis for the GA's optimum design of structural engineering.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.453-474
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• 2015

A hybrid approach of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Swallow Swarm Optimization algorithm (SSO) namely Hybrid Particle Swallow Swarm Optimization algorithm (HPSSO), is presented as a new variant of PSO algorithm for the highly nonlinear dynamic truss shape and size optimization with multiple natural frequency constraints. Experimentally validation of HPSSO on four benchmark trusses results in high performance in comparison to PSO variants and to those of different optimization techniques. The simulation results clearly show a good balance between global and local exploration abilities and consequently results in good optimum solution.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.36-42
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• 2013

We present the optimum design for the cross-sectional(sizing) and shape optimization of truss structures with natural frequency constraints. The optimum design method used in this paper employs continuous design variables and the Harmony Search Algorithm(HSA). HSA is a meta-heuristic search method for global optimization problems. In this paper, HSA uses the method of random number selection in an update process, along with penalty parameters, to construct the initial harmony memory in order to improve the fitness in the initial and update processes. In examples, 10-bar and 72-bar trusses are optimized for sizing, and 37-bar bridge type truss and 52-bar(like dome) for sizing and shape. Four typical truss optimization examples are employed to demonstrate the availability of HSA for finding the minimum weight optimum truss with multiple natural frequency constraints.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.119-138
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• 2016

In this article, hybridization of enhanced colliding bodies optimization (ECBO) with upper bound strategy (UBS) that is called UECBO is proposed for optimum design of truss structures with frequency constraints. The distinct feature of the proposed algorithm is that it requires less computational time while preserving the good accuracy of the ECBO. Four truss structures with frequency limitations selected from the literature are studied to verify the viability of the algorithm. This type of problems is highly non-linear and non-convex. The numerical results show the successful performance of the UECBO algorithm in comparison to the CBO, ECBO and some other metaheuristic optimization methods.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.107-121
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• 2015

The main objective of this research is to present the procedures of combining topology, shape & sizing optimization for truss structure by employing strain energy as objective function under the constraints of volume fractions which yield more general solution than that of total weight approach. Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used as searching engine for the convergence solution. A number of algorithms from previous research are used for evaluating the feasibility and stability of candidate to accelerate convergence and reduce the computational effort. It is followed by solving problem for topology & shape optimization and topology, shape & sizing optimization of truss structure to illustrate the feasibility of applying the objective function of strain energy throughout optimization stages.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.325-337
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• 2006

A hybrid structural design and optimization methodology that combines the strengths of genetic algorithms, local search techniques, and parallel computing is developed to evolve optimal truss systems in this research effort. The primary objective that is met in evolving near-optimal or optimal structural systems using this approach is the capability of satisfying user-defined design criteria while minimizing the computational time required. The application of genetic algorithms to the design and optimization of truss systems supports conceptual design by facilitating the exploration of new design alternatives. In addition, final shape optimization of the evolved designs is supported through the refinement of member sizes using local search techniques for further improvement. The use of the hybrid approach, therefore, enhances the overall process of structural design. Parallel computing is implemented to reduce the total computation time required to obtain near-optimal designs. The support of human-computer interaction during layout optimization and local optimization is also discussed since it assists in evolving optimal truss systems that better satisfy a user's design requirements and design preferences.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.445-468
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• 2014

In this paper a new particle swarm ray optimization algorithm is proposed for truss shape and size optimization with natural frequency constraints. These problems are believed to represent nonlinear and non-convex search spaces with several local optima and therefore are suitable for examining the capabilities of new algorithms. The proposed algorithm can be viewed as a hybridization of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and the recently proposed Ray Optimization (RO) algorithms. In fact the exploration capabilities of the PSO are tried to be promoted using some concepts of the RO. Five numerical examples are examined in order to inspect the viability of the proposed algorithm. The results are compared with those of the PSO and some other existing algorithms. It is shown that the proposed algorithm obtains lighter structures in comparison to other methods most of the time. As will be discussed, the algorithm's performance can be attributed to its appropriate exploration/exploitation balance.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1512-1518
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• 2004

Rescaled Simulated Annealing (RSA) has been adapted to solve combinatorial optimization problems in which the available computational resources are limited. Simulated Annealing (SA) is one of the most popular combinatorial optimization algorithms because of its convenience of use and because of the good asymptotic results of convergence to optimal solutions. However, SA is too slow to converge in many problems. RSA was introduced by extending the Metropolis procedure in SA. The extension rescales the state's energy candidate for a transition before applying the Metropolis criterion. The rescaling process accelerates convergence to the optimal solutions by reducing transitions from high energy local minima. In this paper, structural optimization examples using RSA are provided. Truss structures of which design variables are discrete or continuous are optimized with stress and displacement constraints. The optimization results by RSA are compared with the results from classical SA. The comparison shows that the numbers of optimization iterations can be effectively reduced using RSA.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.747-753
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• 2019

Metaheuristic algorithm is used to solve the weight minimization problem of truss structures considering shape, and sizing design variables. The cross-sectional areas of the line element in trusses are the design variables for size optimization and the changeable joint coordinates are the shape optimization used in this study. The design of plane and spatial truss structures are optimized by metaheuristic technique named Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO). Finite element analyses of structures and optimization process are carried out by the computer program visually developed by the authors coded in MATLAB. The four benchmark problems (trusses 2D ten-bar, 3D thirty-seven-bar, 3D seventy-two-bar and 2D two-hundred-bar) taken from literature are optimized and the optimal solution compared the results given by previous studies.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.359-370
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• 2017

This study presents a particle swarm optimization algorithm integrated with weighted particle concept and improved fly-back technique. The rationale behind this integration is to utilize the affirmative properties of these new terms to improve the search capability of the standard particle swarm optimizer. Improved fly-back technique introduced in this study can be a proper alternative for widely used penalty functions to handle existing constraints. This technique emphasizes the role of the weighted particle on escaping from trapping into local optimum(s) by utilizing a recursive procedure. On the other hand, it guaranties the feasibility of the final solution by rejecting infeasible solutions throughout the optimization process. Additionally, in contrast with penalty method, the improved fly-back technique does not contain any adjustable terms, thus it does not inflict any extra ad hoc parameters to the main optimizer algorithm. The improved fly-back approach, as independent unit, can easily be integrated with other optimizers to handle the constraints. Consequently, to evaluate the performance of the proposed method on solving the truss weight minimization problems with discrete variables, several benchmark examples taken from the technical literature are examined using the presented method. The results obtained are comparatively reported through proper graphs and tables. Based on the results acquired in this study, it can be stated that the proposed method (integrated particle swarm optimizer, iPSO) is competitive with other metaheuristic algorithms in solving this class of truss optimization problems.