A grouping method for optimization of steel skeletal structures by applying a combinatorial search algorithm based on a fully stressed design

In the design of steel structures, optimization methods can find minimum weight solutions. However, the solutions tend to have a high diversity of profiles, thereby raising costs. Grouping methods provide a solution by limiting the number of unique profiles, while still providing an optimal solution. This study proposes a new grouping method and...

Buildable Design in Optimisation of Steel Skeletal Structures: A Comparison of Existing and New Methods for Finding the Best Solution with Low Diversity

In the design of steel structures, optimisation methods promise cheap, light and sustainable structures. However, the resulting designs tend to have a high diversity of profiles, making them unbuildable. Furthermore, the optimisation problem is mathematically complex, leading to a long and potentially unsolvable optimisation process. Grouping...