A Parametric Study of Optimum Road Modular Hinged Frames by Hybrid Metaheuristics

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Structural Optimization
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• Road modular hinged frames are critical infrastructure components.
• Optimizing their design for cost, environmental impact, and geometry is essential.
• Existing methods may not fully address the complex interplay of design variables.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine cost-optimal designs for road modular hinged frames.
• To assess and calibrate hybrid metaheuristics for structural optimization.
• To develop predictive models for key structural characteristics.

Main Methods:

• A fractional factorial design of experiments was employed to assess three hybrid metaheuristics.
• Hybrid simulated annealing was selected and calibrated for combinatorial optimization.
• Structural configurations were studied by varying horizontal span (8-16m) and earth cover (1-5m).

Main Results:

• A calibrated methodology yielded nine different cost-optimal frames per configuration.
• Regression analysis of 225 optimum structures provided accurate predictive expressions (R² ≈ 1).
• Optimum structures exhibit slender, densely reinforced designs with potential shear reinforcement reduction.

Conclusions:

• The calibrated simulated annealing is effective for optimizing road modular hinged frames.
• Developed regression models accurately predict cost, emissions, embodied energy, and geometry.
• The findings offer practical tools for engineers to design cost-effective and sustainable structures.