Optimal design of pitched roof frames with tapered members using ECBO algorithm

Pitched roof frames are widely used in construction of the industrial buildings, gyms, schools and colleges, fire stations, storages, hangars and many other low rise structures. The weight and shape of the gable frames with tapered members, as a familiar group of the pitched roof frames, are highly dependent on the properties of the member cross-sectional. In this work Enhanced Colliding Bodies Optimization (ECBO) is utilized for optimal design of three gable frames with tapered members. In order to optimize the frames, the design is performed using the AISC specifications for stress, displacement and stability constraints. The design constraints and weight of the gable frames are computed from the cross-section of members. These optimum weights are obtained using aforementioned optimization algorithms considering the cross-sections of the members and design constraints as optimization variables and constraints, respectively. A comparative study of the PSO and CBO with ECBO is also performed to illustrate the importance of the enhancement of the utilized optimization algorithm.