Simultaneous Design Characteristics Optimization in an Earth Retaining Structure

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a method for simultaneous optimization of the design characteristics of an earth retaining structure design using quality tools. The design characteristics examined in this paper are safety factor, total displacements and cost. The methodology for the multi-response optimization used is the desirability analysis which gives the appropriate combinations for the design variables. Through standard experimental runs, we process the results for this optimization. The experimental measurements are calculated via finite elements analysis. The designs used are taken from two real-life case studies. This methodology is intended as a guide tool for civil and geotechnical engineers to predict the values of the design variables as long as they can be named and take discrete values. The uniqueness in this study is that approved experimental methodology can simultaneously optimize the design characteristics of an earth retaining structural design, which were until now calculated empirically.