Reliability-based optimization of steel truss arch bridges

A reliability-based optimization approach is developed and applied to minimize the weight of steel truss arch bridges subject to probabilistic (the overall probability failure of the structure) and deterministic (stress and deflection) constraints. The method intelligently integrates the genetic algorithm (GA), the finite element method and the first order reliability method. A real-coded/integer-coded method is used to realistically represent the values of the design variables. Three GA operators consisting of constraint aggregate selection procedure, arithmetic crossover, and non-uniform mutation are proposed. The finite element method (FEM) and the first order reliability method are used to compute the value of the probabilistic and deterministic constraint functions. A numerical example involving a detailed computational model of a long span steel arch bridge with a main span of 550 m is presented to demonstrate the applicability and merits of the present method. Finally, several important parameters in the present method are discussed.