Design Optimization of Reinforced Ordinary and High-Strength Concrete Beams with Eurocode2 (EC-2)

Abstract

This chapter presents a method for minimizing separately the cost and weight of reinforced ordinary and high-strength concrete (HSC) T-beams at the limit state according to Eurocode2 (EC-2). The first objective function includes the costs of concrete, steel, and formwork, and the second objective function deals with the weight of the T-beam. All the constraints functions are set to meet the design requirements of Eurocode2 and current practices rules. The optimization process is developed through the use of the generalized reduced gradient (GRG) algorithm. Two example problems are considered in order to illustrate the applicability of the proposed design model and solution methodology. It is concluded that this approach is economically more effective compared to conventional design methods used by designers and engineers and can be extended to deal with other sections without major alterations.