7 - Layout Design of Beam–Slab Floors by a Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

For practical purposes, the entire structural design task of a building is usually subdivided into several intermediate design tasks. Some of these intermediate tasks are heuristic while some are algorithmic. Having some heuristic intermediate design tasks within the whole design process prevents the whole design process from being completely automated. Beam–slab layout design of building floors is considered heuristic. This chapter discusses how the beam–slab layout design task can be performed by a genetic algorithm. First, an appropriate representation of beam–slab layouts has to be developed. After that, the heuristic beam–slab layout design problem must be converted into an algorithmic one. This is done by explicitly establishing the objective function and constraints for the problem. The obtained objective function and constraints constitute a representative optimization problem for the beam–slab layout design problem. The representative optimization problem can then be reformulated into a form that is suitable for genetic algorithms. The discussion in this chapter serves as an example of how heuristic design tasks can be converted into algorithmic design tasks and subsequently solved by optimization methods.