Abstract
A Building Information Modelling (BIM)-enabled computational approach was presented in this paper for the automated specification of steel reinforcement to support the optimisation of reinforced concrete (RC) flat slabs. After importing slab geometries from BIM, the proposed procedure utilised internal forces output from Finite Element Model (FEM) to map required reinforcement in two stages. In the first stage, the reinforcement specifications matched the spatial resolution of the FEM. In the second, the reinforcement was adjusted by imposing constructability functions to limit the number of arrangements in terms of zones and bar spacing. The aim of the paper was to investigate the parametric capabilities of the proposed approach in the context of an optimisation model for the generation of material-efficient structural designs. Numerical examples were presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the automated specification procedure. The material efficiency and the design complexity of the developed reinforcement configurations were also assessed against a conventional solution under realistic design conditions.
Highlights
Cast in situ reinforced concrete (RC) structures are prevalent in small and medium residential and office buildings
The current study investigates how Chi et al.'s [20] insights could be implemented in the context of RC building structures with flat slabs, which are a very commonly used floor system with reinforced concrete structures
The Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based approach that was initially proposed by Eleftheriadis et al [22] for the optimisation of RC flat slabs and columns using single objective functions for cost and embodied carbon, was extended to simultaneously evaluate multiple objectives deploying a bespoke NSGA-II algorithm with a Finite Element Model (FEM) engine [24]
Summary
Cast in situ reinforced concrete (RC) structures are prevalent in small and medium residential and office buildings. Their detailed design and construction remain relatively low-tech and labour intensive. The design of these structures involves specifying the placement and size of reinforcing bars within the concrete matrix. This phase of the design usually follows an iterative process, in which structural engineers use a manual trial-and-error approach to find a sufficiently safe and economical structural solution [1,2].
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