Optimal design of a welded I-section frame using four conceptually different optimization algorithms

The purpose of this study is to investigate the suitability of four conceptually different optimization algorithms for specifically the optimal design of welded I-section frames. The cost function to be minimized is the volume of the frame. Constraints on lateral-torsional buckling as well as local buckling of the beam and column webs and flanges are taken into consideration. The algorithms evaluated include a genetic algorithm, a novel leap-frog gradient method without line searches, as well as an orthogonal search method requiring no gradients and the differential evolution technique. Received September 26, 2001 RID="*" ID="*"Part of this paper was presented at the World Congress on Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, June 4–8 2001, Dalian, China