Print Email Facebook Twitter A knowledge-based framework for structural optimization - An object-oriented approach for reuse of explicit knowledge in computational optimisation of steel structures. Title A knowledge-based framework for structural optimization - An object-oriented approach for reuse of explicit knowledge in computational optimisation of steel structures. Author Van der Ploeg, J.C. Contributor Nijsse, R. (mentor) Abspoel, R. (mentor) Van de Ruitenbeek, H.K.M. (mentor) Krijgsman, H. (mentor) Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences Department Structural Engineering Programme Specialisation Steel and Timber Construction Date 2013-06-27 Abstract During the design process, structural engineers are required to create more efficient designs while achieving maximum integration with other disciplines, satisfying design requirements and ensuring sufficient safety. Even though many algorithms, tools and case studies of computational optimisations for structural design are available in both literature and practice, their application is often tailored to a specific case. The limited generalizability of these optimization definitions complicates reuse of implemented design knowledge in new design situations. Even though structural design projects are unique in nature, they share a common base in terms of structural components, objectives and restraints (e.g. element strength, global structure deflection). This research proved that defining design knowledge within these abstract components allows for the reuse of definitions in new situations. This has been evaluated in three stages: 1. The development of a prototype for a knowledge-based framework, based on components, objectives and restraints; 2. The implemented knowledge was verified against reliability and efficiency of the structural design restraints and optimisation algorithms by analysing three cases; 3. Finally, the prototype has been used three complex cases to prove its versality. This resulted in a prototype of a knowledge-based framework that allows for the reuse and extension of design knowledge. In total ten case studies were evaluated with this prototype: Three basic case studies that verified conservative evaluation of load bearing resistance. Three benchmark cases that demonstrated that performance of efficient solutions found showed agreement with results in literature (maximum difference in performance 4\%). A comparison of the implemented prototype with the commercial application Scia Engineer endorses the added value of the suggested approach, such as the possibility to include topology optimisation. Three complex case studies have been extensively evaluated to demonstrate the reuse of knowledge in diverse contexts, e.g., a comparative case study, a theoretic study and a practical application. Finally, prerequisites were defined for development of a knowledge-based framework that allows for the reuse of explicit knowledge for structural optimisation, such as distribution of explicit knowledge over multiple levels of abstraction, in individual generic components of the structural optimisation process (such as a structural element) with context dependent relations introduced as variables. The ability of reusing explicit knowledge allowed the author for running the ten cases in a limited time frame. It is estimated that the effort for using computational optimisation in the design process will reduce by this approach. Additional research is suggested to quantify the benefits and effort of this approach in comparison to traditional trial and error design and specialised optimisation implementations. Subject reuseexplicit knowlegdesteel structuresstructural optimisationobject oriented framework To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:84d028fc-f1e8-41b6-870a-8c815198bf32 Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights (c) 2013 Van der Ploeg, J.C. Files PDF thesis_jcvanderploeg_june ... ersion.pdf 27.89 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:84d028fc-f1e8-41b6-870a-8c815198bf32/datastream/OBJ/view