Multi-Objective Optimization of Steel and Concrete Tubular Composite Columns

Resumo

With the increasing trend of building verticalization, the demand for more efficient cross-sections of structural elements has become essential. Within this context, the use of concrete-filled steel tubular composite columns emerges as a promising alternative, as they provide reduced cross-sectional dimensions while offering high load-bearing capacity, and they eliminate the need for formwork compared to reinforced concrete sections or concrete-encased composite sections. The objective of the present study is to develop a multi-objective optimization formulation for concrete-filled composite columns, considering both the minimization of CO₂ emissions and the maximization of the column’s load-bearing capacity across different cross-sectional geometries. The constraints adopted in the optimization process comply with the specifications of the Brazilian standard for tubular structural profiles. The optimization problem was solved using the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm. The resulting Pareto fronts are compared with those from single-objective optimization problems found in the literature, where CO₂ emissions were considered as the objective function to be minimized.