AUTHOR(S): 

Gebrail Bekdas, Sinan Melih Nigdeli, Rasim Temur, Aylin Ece Kayabekir

TITLE

Restricted Optimum Design of Reinforced Concrete Retaining Walls

KEYWORDS

Restricted optimum design, teaching-learning based optimization, structural optimization, reinforced concrete, retaining walls

ABSTRACT

The optimum design of reinforced concrete (RC) members is subjected to several limitations resulting from safety measures and construction opportunities. In this study, the cost optimization of RC retaining walls was investigated for considering the restrictions on construction sites. Generally, the footing dimensions may not be applied if the distance were blocked with other structures. In that case, the optimum design may be different than the most economical results. In order to investigate this factor, the upper limit of the solution range is reduced under the optimum values of a problem case. The investigation was done for different cases with different limitations of the heel and toe of the retaining wall. In the optimum design, teaching-learning based optimization (TLBO) was employed and the retaining wall is both subjected to static and dynamic loads resulting from earthquakes. As a conclusion, the proposed method is effective to find the restricted optimum design of RC retaining walls.

Cite this paper

Gebrail Bekdas, Sinan Melih Nigdeli, Rasim Temur, Aylin Ece Kayabekir. (2016) Restricted Optimum Design of Reinforced Concrete Retaining Walls . International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 1, 326-332