Achieving A Higher Optimality for Lattice Steel Structures Utilizing A Multi-Layer Optimization Scheme

Finding the optimum layout of a given structure that satisfies all the architectural requirements while maintaining the structural optimality has been of interest to the research community for many years. Concurrently, the structural design community has been making effort towards reducing the environmental impact through optimizing the structural design. However, the gap between the layout optimization in research and the structural design industry is yet to be significantly reduced. This research proposes a multilayer optimization framework, where the first layer is concerned with solving the layout problem using Simple Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) topology optimization, and the second optimization layer determines the optimum structural elements’ design for the proposed layout using numerical optimization techniques. The incorporation of both optimization schemes ensures that the final output of the process satisfies all the objectives initially set. Two case studies are presented in this research to evaluate the optimization scheme, where it was found that the carbon footprint of the structure can be significantly reduced by inducing some constraints in the early design stages, which is a step forward towards sustainable structures.

Keywords: Multi-layer optimization; Topology Optimization; Structural Optimization; Steel structures design