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A general purpose real-world structural design optimization computing platform

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Abstract

Structural optimization has matured from a narrow academic discipline, where researchers focused on optimum design of small idealized structural components and systems, to become the basis in modern design of complex structural systems. Some software applications in recent years have made these tools accessible to professional engineers, decision-makers and students outside the structural optimization research community. These software applications, mainly focused on aerospace, aeronautical, mechanical and naval structural systems, have incorporated the optimization component as an additional feature of the finite element software package. On the other hand though there is not a holistic optimization approach in terms of final design stage for real-world civil engineering structures such as buildings, bridges or more complex civil engineering structures. The optimization computing platform presented in this study is a generic real-world optimum design computing platform for civil structural systems and it is implemented within an innovative computing framework, founded on the current state of the art in topics like metaheuristic optimization, structural analysis and parallel computing. For demonstration purposes the application of the optimization computing platform in five real-world design projects is presented.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Harris Maragkos and Nikolaos Bakas; the first one for providing the .SDB files for the test examples considered in this study, and both of them for helping to link the optimization computing platform with SAP2000 software.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Structural Analysis & Antiseismic Research, Department of Structural Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9, Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zografou Campus, 157 80, Athens, Greece

    Nikos D. Lagaros

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  1. Nikos D. Lagaros
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Correspondence to Nikos D. Lagaros.

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Lagaros, N.D. A general purpose real-world structural design optimization computing platform. Struct Multidisc Optim 49, 1047–1066 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-013-1027-1

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