MULTIOBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDINGS

Resumo

The application of parametric and topological optimization in the conception of buildings is
a problem of high complexity due mainly to the large number of variables of interest to be optimized
and to its nature intrinsically multiobjective. Due to the computational development occurred in the last
decades, it has arisen the opportunity for a broader study and development of numeric models in this
field. For the conception of structural projects, it counts on vary computational programs that automate
great part of the structural projects’ conception process. However, in the stage of definition of the
structural elements position, such as columns and beams, there is still a high level of dependency of the
designer because it is long the time spent in the project’s conception and not always the solution found
is the most viable in economic and executive terms. In view of this problem, the current work aims to
initiate the development of a computational model of structural optimization of tall buildings in
reinforced concrete to decrease the designer dependency with the objective of minimizing the costs –
such as concrete volume and steel weight – through the search of columns positions and its dimensions,
restricted to an imposed architecture. It must be employed the evolutionary computation philosophy
through the use of the heuristic method of genetic algorithms, in the generation of the various feasible
solutions, which are obtained by the results of the model of analysis by spatial framed structures, based
on the finite element method. For the generation of the cost function, it will be considered the
determination of the section area of the column and the steel needed that attends the equilibrium of each
reinforced concrete section subjected to biaxial (oblique) bending with axial force state. Lastly, it will
be performed comparative studies, qualitative and quantitative, between structural conceptions with and
without the optimization technique in order to verify the consequences of its use.