Abstract
The design of reinforced earth retaining walls is a combinatorial optimization problem of interest due to practical applications regarding the cost savings involved in the design and the optimization in the amount of CO 2 emissions generated in its construction. On the other hand, this problem presents important challenges in computational complexity since it involves 32 design variables; therefore we have in the order of 10 20 possible combinations. In this article, we propose a hybrid algorithm in which the particle swarm optimization method is integrated that solves optimization problems in continuous spaces with the db-scan clustering technique, with the aim of addressing the combinatorial problem of the design of reinforced earth retaining walls. This algorithm optimizes two objective functions: the carbon emissions embedded and the economic cost of reinforced concrete walls. To assess the contribution of the db-scan operator in the optimization process, a random operator was designed. The best solutions, the averages, and the interquartile ranges of the obtained distributions are compared. The db-scan algorithm was then compared with a hybrid version that uses k-means as the discretization method and with a discrete implementation of the harmony search algorithm. The results indicate that the db-scan operator significantly improves the quality of the solutions and that the proposed metaheuristic shows competitive results with respect to the harmony search algorithm.
Highlights
Retaining walls are structures widely used in engineering for supporting soil laterally
The rest of this paper is structured as follows: in Section 2 we develop a state-of-the-art of hybridizing metaheuristics with machine learning; in Section 3 we define the optimization problem, the variables involved, and the restrictions; in Section 4 we detail the discrete db-scan algorithm; we move on with the experiments and results obtained in Section 5; and conclude with Section 6 in which we summarize the conclusions and new lines of research
The experiments developed with the objective of determining the performance of our hybrid algorithm applied to the counterfort retaining wall problem will be detailed
Summary
Retaining walls are structures widely used in engineering for supporting soil laterally The design of these walls is a problem of interaction between the soil and the structure to retain a material safely and economically. From a height of 8–10 m, buttressed walls economize its design The design of these structures is mainly carried out following rules very much linked to the experience of structural engineers [1]. If the initial design dimensions or material qualities are inadequate, the structure is redefined. With this procedure of trial and error, the different designs obtained do not go beyond a few tests. Structural optimization methods have clear advantages over experience-based design
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
