An overview to structural seismic design optimisation frameworks

The application of the performance-based seismic design concept using alternative formulations is presented in this work. The formulations discussed, are implemented within an automated structural design framework using a metaheuristic optimisation algorithm. Such frameworks are able to accommodate any advanced - linear or nonlinear, static or dynamic - analysis procedure and thus replace, the conventional trial-and-error process. The formulations presented treat the seismic design problem in a deterministic or a probabilistic manner, with one or more objectives that represent the initial cost or the cost of future earthquake losses that may occur during the lifetime of a structural system. Furthermore, the implementations discussed are all consistent with the performance-based design concept and take into consideration the structural response at a number of limit-states, from serviceability to collapse. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.