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 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.