A study on multi-objective optimization of steel frames using direct analysis

Abstract

Steel frame structures with outstanding durability and bearing capacity have been widely used in civil engineering. In order to increase the efficiency in using this structural type, this paper presents a steel frame optimization problem based on using direct analysis to consider the structural non-linear inelastic behavior. The two objective functions considered simultaneously are the total mass and the displacement of the structure. The design variables are the beam and column cross sections selected from the set of sections W according to AISC-LRFD  standard. The NSGA II multi-objective optimization algorithm is used to solve the built-in optimization problem. An example of a two-story steel frame is considered for illustration.

Keyword: Steel frame; optimization; NSGA; multi-Objective; advanced analysis.