Weight Optimization of Steel Girders by Differential Evolution Algorithms

Structural optimization can present several computational difficulties, mainly due to the large number of nonlinear analyses involved, regarding both Objective Functions (OFs) and Constraints. In this study the effectiveness of a relatively new Evolutionary Algorithm, namely Differential Evolutionary, is investigated for constrained optimization. It is obtained by hybridizing some recent versions of Differential Evolutionary algorithms proposed in literature, and uses a specific way for dealing with constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown with reference to a significant case study, dealing with the weight optimization of a steel girder, according to the technical code prescriptions. The analyses show the simplicity and effectiveness of the proposed approach, so that it can be suitably used for practical purposes.