Approximated method of nonlinear geometric analysis applied to steel frames designed by Eurocode 3 and optimized with Genetic Algorithm

Resumo

Structural optimization is a process that can demands high data processing power depending on the
algorithm adopted. In addition, a rigorous geometric nonlinear analysis is performed with iterative numerical
algorithms increasing computational efforts. In order to reduce the amount of data to be processed, the Two Cycles
Iterative Method (TCIM) is implemented in the Structures3D (S3D), an optimization software under development
in Matlab® using its Genetic Algorithm (GA). The structural analysis, carried out in accordance to Eurocode 3, is
also implemented in S3D to improve it as well. The final product is an optimization module that take in account,
by approximation, the geometric non-linearity and design by Eurocode 3 of steel structures. An example of
application of this module is presented and the result obtained is compared with other author.