A new hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm for optimum performance-based seismic designs of moment-resisting frames

Abstract

Structural optimization for performance-based seismic designs is aimed at finding a minimum objective function with constraints on performance requirements. In this research, a hybrid algorithm is introduced based on big bang–big crunch (BB-BC) optimization, harmony search (HS) algorithm, multi-design variable configuration (multi-DVC) cascade optimization and upper bound strategy (UBS). This new scheme is called MDVC-UIBB-BC, in which the BB-BC is applied for global optimization and the HS algorithm deals with the variable constraints. Cascade structural sizing optimization is utilized for handling a large number of variables via a series of DVCs. Furthermore, a UBS is employed to reduce the computational time. Since the overall computational time of the optimization process may be extremely large, a nonlinear static pushover analysis is conducted to compute structural responses at the performance levels. The results indicate that MDVC-UIBB-BC is a powerful technique to optimize structural engineering problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Optimum performance-based seismic design (OPBSD)
• big bang–big crunch (BB-BC)
• moment-resisting frames (MRFs)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.