Optimum design of reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls with particle swarm optimization

Abstract

In this study, a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based algorithm is used for optimum design of reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls. Besides vertical loads, both active and static lateral ground pressures are considered for design. Reinforced concrete design rules defined in TS-500 and checking procedures about sliding, overturning and bearing capacity failures defined in TS-7994 are taken into account as constraints of the optimization problem. In order to evaluate the relationship between optimum design results and values of PSO solution parameters, a sensitivity analysis is performed. Results show that, PSO based solution algorithm may be used as an efficient tool for optimum design of reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls by satisfying all considered constraints.