The objective of this research is to create a software to optimize choice variables adopted by an engineer in a structural system with steel-concrete composite beams and steel decks, such as: beam shape, composite slab sheeting, number and spacing of beams, slab thickness and interaction ratio between beam and slab. To accomplish this, a program that uses the Genetic Algorithm optimization tool provided by Matlab R2015a was developed. To meet safety requirements, restrictions on the Ultimate Limit State were implemented in the code, following the normative requirements of ABNT NBR 8800: 2008. Case studies of a problem found in the literature and another of a real structure, are presented to serve as references for software evaluation. Results indicate that the use of optimization processes is fundamental to design increasingly cost-effective structures.

The use of prestressed concrete flat slabs in buildings has been increasing in recent years in the Brazilian market. Since the implementation of tall and slender buildings a trend in civil engineering and architecture fields, arises from the use of prestressed slabs a difficulty in ensuring the overall stability of a building without beams. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the main bracing systems used in this type of building, namely pillars in formed "U" in elevator shafts and stairs, and pillars in which the lengths are significantly larger than their widths, was elaborated a computational models of fictional buildings, which were processed and analyzed using the software CAD/TQS. From the variation of parameters such as: geometry of the pillars, thick slabs, characteristic strength of the concrete, reduceofthe coefficient of inertia for consideration of non-linearities of the physical elements, stiffness of the connections between slabs and pillars, among others, to analyze the influence of these variables on the overall stability of the building from the facing of instability parameter Gama Z, under Brazilian standard NBR 6118, in addition to performing the processing of building using the P-Delta iterative calculation method for the same purpose.

No abstract

The objective of this article is to present an optimization problem formulation to reduce the total structural cost of prestressed doubly-symmetric and monosymmetric I-shaped steel simply supported beams with straight tendons. The optimization problem was implemented via MATLAB's native Genetic Algorithm. The validation and evaluation processes adopted two examples from literature. The design method follows the Brazilian standard NBR 8800:2008 for the Ultimate and Serviceability Limit States. The best result was found for a monosymmetric case by up to 20.00% and 25.70%. Saving in material weight and installation of tendons, without exceeding the security limits, was also effective. Furthermore, the results presented an efficient alternative for structural engineering, providing a significant model for similar analyzes.

RESUMO:A área da engenharia responsável pelo dimensionamento de estruturas vive em busca da solução que melhor atenderá a vários parâmetros simultâneos como estética, custo, qualidade, peso entre outros. A certeza de que o melhor projeto foi de fato executado é extremamente complicada, pois na prática o que se vê são projetos feitos principalmente baseados na experiência do executor, sem esgotar todas as hipóteses possíveis. É neste sentido que os processos de otimização se fazem necessários na área de dimensionamento de estruturas. É possível obter a partir de um objetivo dado, como o custo, o dimensionamento que melhor atenderá este parâmetro. Alguns estudos nesta área existem, porém ainda carece de mais pesquisa científica. Uma área que ainda carece de um processo de otimização é o dimensionamento de pilares de acordo com a NBR 6118 (ABNT, 2014) que atenda a uma gama maior de geometrias possíveis. Deve-se também estudar o melhor método de otimização para este tipo de problema dentro dos vários existentes na atualidade. Assim o presente artigo contempla o embasamento conceitual nos temas de dimensionamento de pilares e métodos de otimização bem como o estudo de um caso conhecido na literatura para validação e escolha de modelos de otimização. A partir deste exemplo, foram programados três modelos de otimização que utilizaram os algoritmos da programação quadrática sequencial, o dos pontos interiores e os algoritmos genéticos. Feito isto, foram comparados seus resultados e verificado o mais apropriado neste caso.