الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Concrete bridges have many types such as simply supported girder bridges, arch bridges and rigid frame bridges. However, for very large spans, arch bridges are more economic in addition to their beauty appearance. In this research, a geometrical structural optimization study for a deck concrete arch bridges using Genetic Algorithms technique is presented. This research aims mainly to demonstrate a methodology to find the least cost design, in term of material volume, by finding the optimal profile. A Finite Element numerical model is used to represent the arch structure. The MATLAB programing platform is used to develop codes for Genetic Algorithms optimization technique and Finite Element analysis method. The resulted design from the optimization process is compared to traditional design and an obvious cost reduction is obtained. The results show a reasonable reduction in weight for the investigated cases. The reduction percentage is not affected significantly with the entered bridge span. The resulted optimal designs, after geometric enhancement, have a reduction percentage ranges from 30% to 35% compared to traditional designs. |