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Documente Profesional
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Neeraja D
Associate Professor, Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering,
VIT University, Vellore, Tamilnadu, India
ABSTRACT
Retaining walls are generally used in geotechnical engineering applications such
as bridge abutments supporting deep excavations, tied back retaining wall, etc. The
design of retaining walls is majorly based on thumb rules and the experience of the
designer in taking out initial dimensions and to make necessary checks for complying
against design codes. Most procedures consider cross-section dimensions and
material grades. On the trial and error basis, the conventional procedures lead to
safe designs. But the cost of retaining wall depends on experience of the structural
engineer. Here structural optimization techniques are clear alternative to design
based on experience. Optimum design is a structural synthesis which collects all
engineering aspects to develop structures not only safe but also economic. In the
present study optimum design is performed for cantilever retaining wall of different
heights for various cases using genetic algorithm technique provided with Mat Lab.
Comparisons are made with results obtained from conventional method of retaining
wall design. This justifies the effectiveness and efficiency of genetic algorithm
technique in the optimum design of cantilever retaining wall.
Key words: Retaining walls, Optimization, Genetic Algorithm, Mat lab.
Cite this Article: Sasidhar T, Neeraja D and V Samba Murthy Sudhindra,
Application of Genetic Algorithm Technique for Optimizing Design of Reinforced
Concrete Retaining Wall. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology,
8(5), 2017, pp. 9991007.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=5
1. INTRODUCTION
Retaining wall is a structural element which is intended to support back fill soils, e.g. support
deep excavations, as abutments of bridge and as anchored retaining wall, etc. Retaining walls
are known to be simplest structures but there design should satisfy some stability
requirements. Those are internal and external stability conditions. First one talks about
structural stability of different parts of retaining wall where as second one gives the wall-soil
interaction after construction will be in equilibrium. While designing a structure, engineers
need to adopt many technological and managerial decisions at different stages. At present the
optimizing design in structural elements mainly follows rules which are formed according to
experience of designer. Most of the designs will be done by assuming cross sectional
dimensions and material grades and then lead to safety design by compiling them with design
code requirements.
In this type of designs optimization techniques are best alternative to designs which
depends on experience. Optimum design is the process of structural synthesis which give
designs not only safe but economical. In any design optimization is done on reliability base or
cost minimization. The constraints are formed by using stability conditions. Mathematically
it is defined as minimization task of constrained function. And it is solved by a method based
on simple mathematical Program. In recent years new developments in numerical methods
has given some optimization techniques which are conceptually different from traditional
methods. These methods are termed as non traditional methods of optimization. These
methods work depending on biological behavior, molecular swarm of insects and system of
neutral biologics.
Genetic algorithm belongs to methods of stochastic search that is formed by natural
biological evolution processes. The primary reason behind use of genetic algorithm is
optimization. This algorithm works on population which belongs to potential solutions by the
application of survival of the fittest principal to produce best solution to a particular problem.
The various stages in genetic algorithm technique are selection, recombination and mutation.
This genetic algorithm Optimum tool of Mat Lab is used for optimizing design of retaining
wall. The optimization mode is combination of design variables and objective function.
Objective function is cost per structure. Results obtained from design of retaining wall using
genetic algorithm are compared with that of obtained from conventional method. The
efficiency and effectiveness of genetic algorithm in optimizing design is studied from the
comparison of results obtained from two methods.
2.1. Nabeel A.Jasim et al (2016): Optimum design of tied back retaining wall
Presents an optimization algorithm for the design of tied back retaining wall. The aim of the
study is to find the values of design variables which minimize the cost function subjected to
constraints of the problem. The optimization of such structure is done by using genetic
algorithm optimum tool of Mat lab program.
3. OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT
The objective of study is to study the maximum height of retaining wall with both horizontal
and surcharge load considering optimization as the main factor. Application of genetic
algorithm technique is studied for the optimizing design of reinforced concrete retaining wall.
4. METHODOLOGY
The geometrical parameters like height, width and thickness etc., are considered as design
variables in the analysis.
Genetic algorithm technique is applied to solve the formed constraints (using MAT Lab) such
as factor of safety against overturning and sliding, base soil pressures etc., within the defined
number of trails.
The effectiveness and efficiency of the applied optimization technique can be validated by
comparing the results obtained from conventional design method.
The maximum height and the properties of retaining wall to which genetic algorithm
technique can be applied considering the optimization as the main function is justified.
safety values for sliding and overturning respectively, qu represents safe bearing capacity of
soil, qapp is applied load on soil, B represents base slab length, C is distance of resultant force
from toe.
5. RESULTS
5.1. Design of retaining wall by conventional method and optimization technique
In this chapter comparisons of various parameters for the retaining wall by conventional
method and optimization technique method have been done. The results have been shown
both in tabular and graphical form.
6. CONCLUSION
Use of genetic algorithm technique in the design of retaining wall has given considerable
percentage of cost optimization in all the cases which are taken for the analysis. This genetic
algorithm technique is found to be useful in the designs where number of trails have to be
done for making it more economical. It requires lower and upper bound values of considered
variables. The range of boundary conditions will alter the objective function value. Hence, the
provision of genetic algorithm technique in the design of retaining wall is advantageous in
optimization of cost. But it is time taking method as it requires new program for every change
properties of retaining wall. There is more scope to work on this modern optimization
technique in the design of structural elements.
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