Two Near-Optimal Layouts for Trusslike Bridge Structures Bearing Uniform Weight between Supports
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 4
Abstract
Although the primary objective on designing a structure is to support the external loads, the achievement of an optimal layout that reduces all costs associated with the structure is an aspect of increasing interest. The problem of finding the optimal layout for bridgelike structures subjected to a uniform load is considered. The problem is formulated following a theory on economy of frame structures, using the stress volume as the objective function and including the selection of appropriate values for statically indeterminate reactions. It is solved in a function space of finite dimension instead of using a general variational approach, obtaining near-optimal solutions. The results obtained with this profitable strategy are very close to the best layouts known to date, with differences of less than 2% for the stress volume, but with a simpler layout that can be recognized in some real bridges. This strategy could be a guide to preliminary design of bridges subject to a wide class of costs.
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Acknowledgments
We are indebted to José Ignacio Hernando (Madrid) for his linear programming solutions, Wilfrid Gangbo for his valuable answers to our questions about his own research, and anonymous reviewers for their valuable criticism. We also thank Blanca Estevan for her search of bridges resembling the AOH layout. Many of the research work for this paper was carried out during the one-year stay of M. Vázquez Espí at CIMNE (Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Barcelona), financed by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Thanks are due to Professor Eugenio Oñate and the CIMNE staff for their hospitality.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 4 • April 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 27, 2012
Accepted: Jun 26, 2013
Published online: Jun 28, 2013
Published in print: Apr 1, 2014
Discussion open until: May 3, 2014
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