Modified Improved Harmony Search Applied to Reinforced Concrete Beams

Resumo

During the structural design, engineers can use optimization algorithms as efficient tools to conceive
structures with lower cost and environmental impacts compared to the traditional trial and error process. This paper
presents the cost optimization of reinforced concrete beams, composed by the cost of concrete, steel bars and
formworks. The design variables were the cross-section dimensions, position, and diameter of the reinforcement.
The constraints applied in the problem are those imposed by the Brazilian Standard NBR 6118 (2014), checking
the ultimate and serviceability states. To achieve that, a formulation to analyze reinforced concrete beams was
implemented in the software developed in this research. The optimization method used was a variant of Harmony
Search, a metaheuristic inspired by the jazz musical improvisation process, called Modified Improved Harmony
Search (MIHS). Aiming to verify the efficiency of the developed software, as well as to investigate the
performance of the optimization method, beams with different spans, loads and concrete strengths were optimized.
The obtained results were satisfactory and competitive, although they show the need for improvements in the
program.