• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.405-426
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• 2014

In this paper, a new meta-heuristic algorithm named Ranked Particles Optimization (RPO), is presented. This algorithm is not inspired from natural or physical phenomena. However, it is based on numerous researches in the field of meta-heuristic optimization algorithms. In this algorithm, like other meta-heuristic algorithms, optimization process starts with by producing a population of random solutions, Particles, located in the feasible search space. In the next step, cost functions corresponding to all random particles are evaluated and some of those having minimum cost functions are stored. These particles are ranked and their weighted average is calculated and named Ranked Center. New solutions are produced by moving each particle along its previous motion, the ranked center, and the best particle found thus far. The robustness of this algorithm is verified by solving some mathematical and structural optimization problems. Simplicity of implementation and reaching to desired solution are two main characteristics of this algorithm.

• 한국전산구조공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전산구조공학회 2008년도 정기 학술대회
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• pp.216-221
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• 2008

Shape design optimization for linear elasticity problem is performed using isogeometric analysis method. In many design optimization problems for real engineering models, initial raw data usually comes from CAD modeler. Then designer should convert this CAD data into finite element mesh data because conventional design optimization tools are generally based on finite element analysis. During this conversion there is some numerical error due to a geometry approximation, which causes accuracy problems in not only response analysis but also design sensitivity analysis. As a remedy of this phenomenon, the isogeometric analysis method is one of the promising approaches of shape design optimization. The main idea of isogeometric analysis is that the basis functions used in analysis is exactly same as ones which represent the geometry, and this geometrically exact model can be used shape sensitivity analysis and design optimization as well. In shape design sensitivity point of view, precise shape sensitivity is very essential for gradient-based optimization. In conventional finite element based optimization, higher order information such as normal vector and curvature term is inaccurate or even missing due to the use of linear interpolation functions. On the other hands, B-spline basis functions have sufficient continuity and their derivatives are smooth enough. Therefore normal vector and curvature terms can be exactly evaluated, which eventually yields precise optimal shapes. In this article, isogeometric analysis method is utilized for the shape design optimization. By virtue of B-spline basis function, an exact geometry can be handled without finite element meshes. Moreover, initial CAD data are used throughout the optimization process, including response analysis, shape sensitivity analysis, design parameterization and shape optimization, without subsequent communication with CAD description.

• 한국전산구조공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전산구조공학회 2004년도 봄 학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.143-150
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• 2004

An optimum design problem for endosseous implant in dentistry is studied to find best implant design. An optimum design problem is formulated to reduce stresses arising at the cortical as well as cancellous bones, in which sufficient design parameters are chosen for design definition that encompasses major implants in popular use. Optimization at once (OAO) with the large number of design variables, however, causes too costly solution or even failure to converge. A concept of multilevel optimization (MLO) is employed to this end, which is to group the design variables of similar nature, solve the sub-problem of smaller size for each group in sequence, and this is iterated until convergence. Each sub-problem is solved based on the response surface method (RSM) due to its efficiency for small sized problem.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제62권4호
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• pp.465-475
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• 2017

Photovoltaic (PV) panels are used in high-rise buildings to convert solar energy to electricity. Due to the considerable energy consumption of high-rise buildings, applying PV technology is of great significance to energy saving. In the application of PV panels, one of the most important construction issues is the connection of the PV panel with the main structures. One major difficulty of the connection design is that the PV panel connection consists of two separate components with coupling and indeterminate dimension. In this paper, the gap element is employed in these two separated but coupled components, i.e., hook and catch. Topology optimization is applied to optimize and design the cross-section of the PV panel connection. Pareto optimization is conducted to operate the optimization subject to multiple load scenarios. The initial design for the topology optimization is determined by the common design specified by the Technical Code for Glass Curtain Wall Engineering (JGJ 102-2003). Gravity and wind load scenarios are considered for the optimization and numerical analysis. Post analysis is conducted for the optimal design obtained by the topology optimization due to the manufactory requirements. Generally, compared with the conventional design, the optimized connector reduces material use with improved structural characteristics.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.217-247
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• 2016

Five extended cylindrical reticulated shells are proposed by changing distribution rule of diagonal rods based on three fundamental types. Modeling programs for fundamental types and extended types of cylindrical reticulated shell are compiled by using the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL). On this basis, conditional formulas are derived when the grid shape of cylindrical reticulated shells is equilateral triangle. Internal force analysis of cylindrical reticulated shells is carried out. The variation and distribution regularities of maximum displacement and stress are studied. A shape optimization program is proposed by adopting the sequence two-stage algorithm (RDQA) in FORTRAN environment based on the characteristics of cylindrical reticulated shells and the ideas of discrete variable optimization design. Shape optimization is achieved by considering the objective function of the minimum total steel consumption, global and locality constraints. The shape optimization for three fundamental types and five extended types is calculated with the span of 30 m~80 m and rise-span ratio of 1/7~1/3. The variations of the total steel consumption along with the span and rise-span ratio are analyzed with contrast to the results of shape optimization. The optimal combination of main design parameters for five extended cylindrical reticulated shells is investigated. The total steel consumption affected by distribution rule of diagonal rods is discussed. The results show that: (1) Parametric modeling method is simple, efficient and practical, which can quickly generate different types of cylindrical reticulated shells. (2) The mechanical properties of five extended cylindrical reticulated shells are better than their fundamental types. (3) The total steel consumption of cylindrical reticulated shells is optimized to be the least when rise-span ratio is 1/6. (4) The extended type of three-way grid cylindrical reticulated shell should be preferentially adopted in practical engineering. (5) The grid shape of reticulated shells should be designed to equilateral triangle as much as possible because of its reasonable stress and the lowest total steel consumption.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2001년도 춘계학술대회논문집C
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• pp.580-585
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• 2001

A response surface method(RSM) is utilized for structural optimization and implemented on a parametric CAD platform. Once an approximation of the performance function is made, no formal design sensitivity analysis is necessary. The approximation gives the designer the sensitivity information and furthermore intuition on the performance functions. The scheme for the design of experiment chosen for the RSM has a large influence on the accuracy of converged solutions and the amount of computation. The D-optimal design criterion as implemented in this paper is found efficient for the structural optimization. The program is developed on a parametric CAD platform and tested using several shape design problems of such as a torque arm and a belt clip. It is observed that the RSM used provides a faster convergence than other approximation methods for design sensitivity.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제81권1호
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• pp.93-102
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• 2022

The optimum design of reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls subjected to seismic loads is an extremely important challenge in structural and geotechnical engineering, especially in seismic zones. This study proposes an adaptive sperm swarm optimization algorithm (ASSO) for economic design of retaining structure under static and seismic loading. The proposed ASSO algorithm utilizes a time-varying velocity damping factor to provide a fine balance between the explorative and exploitative behavior of the original method. In addition, the new method considers a reasonable velocity limitation to avoid the divergence of the sperm movement. The proposed algorithm is benchmarked with a set of test functions and the results are compared with the standard sperm swarm optimization (SSO) and some other robust metaheuristic from the literature. For seismic optimization of retaining structures, Mononobe-Okabe method is employed for dynamic loading conditions and total construction cost of the structure is considered as the single objective function. The optimization constraints include both geotechnical and structural restrictions and the design variables are the geometrical dimensions of the wall and the amount of steel reinforcement. Finally, optimization of two benchmark retaining structures under static and seismic loads using the ASSO algorithm is presented. According to the numerical results, the ASSO may provide better optimal solutions, and the designs obtained by ASSO have a lower cost by up to 20% compared with some other methods from the literature.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.190-196
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• 2009

This study proposes a structural design method for the upper control arm installed at the rear side of a SUV. The weight of control arm can be reduced by applying the design and material technologies. In this research, the former includes optimization technology, and the latter the technologies for selecting aluminum as a steel-substitute material. Strength assessment is the most important design criterion in the structural design of a control arm. At the proto design stage of a new control arm, FE (finite element) analysis is often utilized to predict its strength. This study considers the static strength in the optimization process. The inertia relief method for FE analysis is utilized to simulate the static loading conditions. According to the classification of structural optimization, the structural design of a control arm is included in the category of shape optimization. In this study, the kriging interpolation method is adopted to obtain the minimum weight satisfying the strength constraint. Optimum designs are obtained by ANSYS WORKBENCH and the in-house program, EXCEL-kriging program. The optimum results determined from the in-house program are compared with those of ANSYS WORKBENCH.

• 한국전산구조공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전산구조공학회 2000년도 가을 학술발표회논문집
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• pp.124-132
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• 2000

Distributed processing approach for structural optimization is presented in this study. It is implemented on network of personal computers. The validity and efficiency of this approach are demonstrated and verified by test model of truss. Repeated structural analysis algorithm, which spend a lot of overall structural optimization processes, are based on substructuring scheme with domain-wise parallelism and converted to be adapted to hardware and software environments. The design information data are modularized and assigned to each computer in order to minize the communication cost. The communications between nodes are limited to static condensation and constraint-related data collection.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.813-833
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• 2015

Spherical reticulated shells are widely applied in structural engineering due to their good bearing capability and attractive appearance. Parametric modeling of spherical reticulated shells is the basis of internal analysis and optimization design. In the present study, generation methods of nodes and the corresponding connection methods of rod elements are proposed. Modeling programs are compiled by adopting the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL). A shape optimization method based on the two-stage algorithm is presented, and the corresponding optimization program is compiled in FORTRAN environment. Shape optimization is carried out based on the objective function of the minimum total steel consumption and the restriction condition of strength, stiffness, slenderness ratio, stability. The shape optimization of four typical Schwedler spherical reticulated shells is calculated with the span of 30 m~80 m and rise to span ratio of 1/7~1/2. Compared with the shape optimization results, the variation rules of total steel consumption along with the span and rise to span ratio are discussed. The results show that: (1) The left and right rod-Schwedler spherical reticulated shell is the most optimized and should be preferentially adopted in structural engineering. (2) The left diagonal rod-Schwedler spherical reticulated shell is second only to left and right rod regarding the mechanical behavior and optimized results. It can be applied to medium and small-span structures. (3) Double slash rod-Schwedler spherical reticulated shell is advantageous in mechanical behavior but with the largest total weight. Thus, this type can be used in large-span structures as far as possible. (4) The mechanical performance of no latitudinal rod-Schwedler spherical reticulated shell is the worst and with the second largest weight. Thus, this spherical reticulated shell should not be adopted generally in engineering.