Optimal design of steel portal frames based on genetic algorithms

Abstract

As for the optimal design of steel portal frames, due to both the complexity of cross selections of beams and columns and the discreteness of design variables, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory results by traditional optimization. Based on a set of constraints of the Technical Specification for Light-weighted Steel Portal Frames of China, a genetic algorithm (GA) optimization program for portal frames, written in MATLAB code, was proposed in this paper. The graph user interface (GUI) is also developed for this optimal program, so that it can be used much more conveniently. Finally, some examples illustrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the genetic-algorithm-based optimal program.

Keywords

steel structure / portal frame / optimal design / genetic algorithm (GA) / graph user interface (GUI)