Optimum Design of continuous composite slab using Particle Swarm Optimization

Resumo

Civil construction is one of the main contributors to the emission of CO2 in the atmosphere. In the pursuit of more environmentally friendly structures, evaluating the emission of gases generated by civil construction, particularly in the manufacturing process of composite slabs, is of paramount importance. Composite slabs are typically analyzed as a succession of simply supported spans; however, due to the construction method, these structures are actually built as continuous. Considering the continuity of the slabs in composite steel and concrete systems can lead to a more optimized structural design. The aim of this paper is to determine optimal solutions for continuous composite slabs in terms of CO2 emissions. The constraints of the optimization problem are based on the design criteria of Brazilian Standards, and the solution to the optimization problem was obtained using Particle Swarm Optimization. As result, the algorithm selected slabs with thinner steel formwork, lower concrete cover, and lower rates of negative and additional positive reinforcement. Additionally, it chosen concrete with intermediate compressive strength and a rate of negative reinforcement close to lower bound. The CO2 emissions resulting from steel formwork and concrete were the most influential variables in the final problem solution.