a. kaveh

Structural optimization plays a crucial role in engineering design, aiming to minimize weight and cost while satisfying performance constraints. This research presents a novel Self-Adaptive Enhanced Vibrating Particle System (SA-EVPS) algorithm that automatically adjusts algorithm parameters to improve optimization performance. The algorithm is applied to two challenging examples from the International Student Competition in Structural Optimization (ISCSO) benchmark suite: the 314-member truss structure (ISCSO_2018) and the 345-member truss structure (ISCSO_2021). Results demonstrate that SA-EVPS achieves significantly better solutions compared to previous studies using the Exponential Big Bang-Big Crunch (EBB-BC) algorithm. For ISCSO_2018, SA-EVPS achieved a minimum weight of 16543.57 kg compared to 17934.3 kg for the best EBB-BC variant—a 7.75% improvement. Similarly, for ISCSO_2021, SA-EVPS achieved 4292.71 kg versus 4399.0 kg for the best EBB-BC variant—a 2.42% improvement. The proposed algorithm also demonstrates superior convergence behavior and solution consistency, with coefficients of variation of 3.13% and 1.21% for the two benchmark problems, compared to 12.5% and 2.4% for the best EBB-BC variant. These results highlight the effectiveness of the SA-EVPS algorithm for solving complex structural optimization problems and demonstrate its potential for engineering applications.

Identification of damping properties for a mixed structure and its interaction with underlying soil is a challenge for structural designers. Current codes and available commercial software packages do not provide analytical solutions for such structural systems. Due to irregular damping ratios, dynamic response of each part of a mixed structure differs significantly. In addition, when the structure is subjected to seismic loads, the soil-structure interaction effects cannot be neglected. To manage these issues, this paper proposes an equivalent damping ratio for mixed structures by means of a semi-empirical error minimization method which considers soil-structure interaction. The results of numerical simulations indicate that the use of the equivalent damping ratios makes the results of dynamics analyses closer to the ones obtained by the actual damping ratios. Consequently, proposed method provides a much better approximation than the case in which the conservative overall ratio of 2% or 5% is used.

The stability of large complex systems is a fundamental question in various scientific disciplines, from natural ecosystems to engineered environmental networks. This paper examines the interplay between network complexity and stability through the lens of graph theory and spectral analysis, based on Robert May’s seminal work on stability in randomly connected networks. Environmental systems are modeled as graphs in which components, such as reservoirs in a water distribution system or physical processes in hydrological cycle, interact through defined connections of varying strengths. Stability in these networks depends on the level of connectivity, the number of interacting components, and the strength of interactions between them. Previous studies have shown that as a system becomes more interconnected, it reaches a threshold beyond which it transitions sharply from stability to instability. Using concepts from spectral graph theory, we show how structural properties of an environmental network—such as degree distribution, modularity, and spectral characteristics—shape stability. Two numerical examples are presented to illustrate how increasing connectivity affects stability in water resource networks modeled as random graphs. The results suggest that systems with many weak interactions are generally more stable, whereas systems with fewer but stronger interactions are more prone to instability unless their structure is carefully managed. These insights provide valuable insights for designing resilient environmental networks and optimizing the management of interconnected natural and engineered systems.

In this paper, a neural network is trained for optimal nodal ordering of graphs to obtain a small wavefront using soft computing. A preference function consists of six inputs that can be seen as a generalization of Sloan's function. These six inputs represent the different connection characteristics of graph models. This research is done with the aim of comparing Sloan's theoretical numbering method with Sloan's developed method with neural networks and WSA meta-heuristic algorithm. Unlike the Sloan algorithm, which uses two fixed coefficients, six coefficients are used here, based on the evaluation of artificial neural networks. The weight of networks is obtained using Water Strider algorithm. Examples are included to demonstrate the performance of the present hybrid method.

In order to evaluate the damage state, value, and position of structural members more accurately, a multi-objective optimization (MO) method is utilized that is based on changes in natural frequency. The multi-objective optimization dynamic-based damage detection method is first introduced. Two objective functions for optimization are then introduced in terms of changing the natural frequencies and mode shapes. The multi-objective optimization problem (MOP) is formulated by using the two objective functions. Three considered MO algorithms consist of Colliding Bodies Optimization (MOCBO), Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO), and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to achieve the best structural damage detection. The proposed methods are then applied to three planar steel frame structures. Compared to the traditional optimization methods utilizing the single-objective optimization (SO) algorithms, the presented methods provide superior results.

This study aimed to develop and optimize artificial stone mix designs incorporating microsilica using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and metaheuristic optimization algorithms. Initially, 10 base mix designs were prepared and tested based on previous experience and literature. The test results were used to train an ANN model. The trained ANN was then optimized using SA-EVPS and EVPS algorithms to maximize 28-day compressive strength, with aggregate gradation as the optimization variable. The optimized mixes were produced and tested experimentally, revealing some discrepancies with the ANN predictions. The ANN was retrained using the original and new experimental data, and the optimization process was repeated iteratively until an acceptable agreement was achieved between predicted and measured strengths. This approach demonstrates the potential of combining ANNs and metaheuristic algorithms to efficiently optimize artificial stone mix designs, reducing the need for extensive physical testing.

Earnings overstatement is one of the forms of earnings management by firm managers. Moral conscience is also an internal force in man that guides him to moral behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the role of moral conscience in the earnings management behavior of firms.

The research method is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive and correlational in terms of data collection. The statistical population includes accounting experts working in listed firms on Tehran Stock Exchange. A sample of 205 people was selected from this community. The sampling method is random. The instrument used to measure the variables is questionnaire. Data analysis is based on descriptive statistics and multivariate regression.

The results of this research show that moral conscience has a significant and negative relationship with efficient and opportunistic earnings management. Therefore, moral conscience reduces the behavior of firm management in earnings overstatement.

Human moral behavior is rooted in his awake conscience. Therefore, moving towards an awakened conscience makes a person a moral person.

The global population growth and the subsequent surge in housing demand have inevitably led to an increase in the demand for concrete, and consequently, cement. This has posed environmental challenges, as cement factories are significant contributors to carbon dioxide emissions. One promising solution is to incorporate pozzolanic materials into concrete production. This study investigates the effects of using travertine sludge as a partial substitute for cement. Seven different mix designs, along with a control mix, were created and compared. The primary variable was the ratio of travertine sludge to cement weight, considered in intervals of 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40% of the cement's weight. Various tests were conducted, including compressive strength and flexural strength at ages of 7, 28, and 90 days, as well as a permeability test at 28 days. The findings revealed interesting patterns. At the 7-day mark, as the percentage of travertine sludge increased, there was a decrease in compressive strength. However, by the 28-day mark, the concrete displayed a varied behavior: using up to 30% travertine sludge by weight reduced the strength, but exceeding 30% resulted in increased strength. At the 90-day mark, an overall increase in strength was observed with the rise in travertine sludge percentage. Such pozzolanic effects on compressive strength were somewhat predictable. Additionally, based on the flexural strength tests, travertine sludge can be deemed a viable substitute for a certain percentage of cement by weight. This research underscores the potential of sustainable alternatives in the construction industry, promoting both professional development and personal branding for those engaged in eco-friendly practices.

This paper presents the chaotic variants of the particle swarm optimization-statistical regeneration mechanism (PSO-SRM). The nine chaotic maps named Chebyshev, Circle, Iterative, Logistic, Piecewise, Sine, Singer, Sinusoidal, and Tent are used to increase the performance of the PSO-SRM. These maps are utilized instead of the random number, which defines the solution generation method. The robustness and performance of these methods are tested in the three steel frame design problems, including the 1-bay 10-story steel frame, 3-bay 15-story steel frame, and 3-bay 24-story steel frame. The optimization results reveal that the applied chaotic maps improve the performance of the PSO-SRM.

In this study, experimental and computational approaches are used in order to develop and optimize self-compacting concrete mixes (Artificial neural network, EVPS metaheuristic algorithm, Taguchi method). Initially, ten basic mix designs were tested, and an artificial neural network was trained to predict the properties of these mixes. The network was then used to generate ten optimized mixes using the EVPS algorithm. Three mixes with the highest compressive strength were selected, and additional tests were conducted using the Taguchi approach. Inputting these results, along with the initial mix designs, into a second trained neural network, 10 new mix designs were tested using the network. Two of these mixes did not meet the requirements for self-compacting concrete, specifically in the U-box test. However, the predicted compressive strength results showed excellent agreement with low error percentages compared to the laboratory results, which indicates the effectiveness of the artificial neural network in predicting concrete properties, thus indicating that self-compacting concrete properties can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. The paper emphasizes the reliability and cost-effectiveness of artificial neural networks in predicting concrete properties. The study highlights the importance of providing diverse and abundant training data to improve the accuracy of predictions. The results demonstrate that neural networks can serve as valuable tools for predicting concrete characteristics, saving time and resources in the process. Overall, the research provides insights into the development of self-compacting concrete mixes and highlights the effectiveness of computational approaches in optimizing concrete performance.

In this paper, three recently improved metaheuristic algorithms are utilized for the optimum design of the frame structures using the force method. These algorithms include enhanced colliding bodies optimization (ECBO), improved shuffled Jaya algorithm (IS-Jaya), and Vibrating particles system - statistical regeneration mechanism algorithm (VPS-SRM). The structures considered in this study have a lower degree of statical indeterminacy (DSI) than their degree of kinematical indeterminacy (DKI). Therefore, the force method is the most suitable analysis method for these structures. The robustness and performance of these methods are evaluated by the three design examples named 1-bay 10-story steel frame, 3-bay 15-story steel frame, and 3-bay 24-story steel frame.

This paper deals with the optimum design of the mixed structures that consists of two parts, a lower part made of concrete and an upper part made of steel. Current codes and available commercial software packages do not provide analytical solutions for such structural systems, especially if a decoupled analysis is performed where the lower part is excited by ground motion and its response of total accelerations is used for the upper part. Due to irregular damping ratios, mass and stiffness, dynamic response of each part of a mixed structure differs significantly. The present paper aims at comparing of the optimum design of these structures under the coupled and decoupled models. Toward that goal, the coupled and decoupled time history analyses are performed and the optimum design of the two methods are compared. The results of the two approach show that the cost of the decoupled analysis is higher than the cost of the coupled analysis and the design of the decoupled method may be uneconomical, because the interaction between the two upper and lower parts is neglected.

Cement, water, fine aggregates, and coarse aggregates are combined to produce concrete, which is the most common substance after water and has a distinctly compressive strength, the most important quality indicator. Hardened concrete's compressive strength is one of its most important properties. The compressive strength of concrete allows us to determine a wide range of concrete properties based on this characteristic, including tensile strength, shear strength, specific weight, durability, erosion resistance, sulfate resistance, and others. Increasing concrete's compressive strength solely by modifying aggregate characteristics and without affecting water and cement content is a challenge in the direction of concrete production. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) can be used to reduce laboratory work and predict concrete's compressive strength. Metaheuristic algorithms can be applied to ANN in an efficient and targeted manner, since they are intelligent systems capable of solving a wide range of problems. This study proposes new samples using the Taguchi method and tests them in the laboratory. Following the training of an ANN with the obtained results, the highest compressive strength is calculated using the EVPS and SA-EVPS algorithms.

Vibrating particles system (VPS) is a swarm intelligence-based optimizer inspired by free vibration with a single degree of freedom systems. VPS is one of the well-known algorithms in structural optimization problems. However, its performance can be improved to find a better solution. This study introduces an improved version of the VPS using the statistical regeneration mechanism for the optimal design of the structures with discrete variables. The improved version is named VPS-SRM, and its efficiency is tested in the three real-size optimization problems. The optimization results reveal the capability and robustness of the VPS-SRM for the optimal design of the structures with discrete sizing variables.

Despite the advantages of the plastic limit analysis of structures, this robust method suffers from some drawbacks such as intense computational cost. Through two recent decades, metaheuristic algorithms have improved the performance of plastic limit analysis, especially in structural problems. Additionally, graph theoretical algorithms have decreased the computational time of the process impressively. However, the iterative procedure and its relative computational memory and time have remained a challenge, up to now. In this paper, a metaheuristic-based artificial neural network (ANN), which is categorized as a supervised machine learning technique, has been employed to determine the collapse load factors of two-dimensional frames in an absolutely fast manner. The numerical examples indicate that the proposed method's performance and accuracy are satisfactory.

Optimization methods are essential in today's world. Several types of optimization methods exist, and deterministic methods cannot solve some problems, so approximate optimization methods are used. The use of approximate optimization methods is therefore widespread. One of the metaheuristic algorithms for optimization, the EVPS algorithm has been successfully applied to engineering problems, particularly structural engineering problems. As this algorithm requires experimental parameters, this research presents a method for determining these parameters for each problem and a self-adaptive algorithm called the SA-EVPS algorithm. In this study, the SA-EVPS algorithm is compared with the EVPS algorithm using the 72-bar spatial truss structure and three classical benchmarked functions

This paper presents a computational framework for optimal design of non-prismatic reinforced concrete box girder bridges. The variables include the geometry of the cross section, tapered length, concrete strength and reinforcement of box girders and slabs. These are obtained by the enhanced colliding bodies optimization algorithm to optimizing the cost and again CO2 emission. Loading and design is based on the AASHTO standard specification. The methodology is illustrated by a three-span continuous bridge. The trade-off between optimal cost and CO2 emission in this type of bridge indicates that the difference of costs, as well as CO2 emissions in the solution with both objectives is less than 1%. However, the optimal variables in the cost objective are different from the variables of CO2 emission objective.

This paper presents a new hybrid algorithm generated by combining advantageous features of the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) and Biogeography Based Optimization (BBO) to create an effective search technique. Although the ICA performs fairly well in the exploration phase, it is less effective in the exploitation stage. In addition, its convergence speed is problematic in some instances. Meanwhile, the BBO method's migration operator strongly emphasizes local search to focus on promising solutions and finds the optimum solution more precisely. The combination of these two algorithms leads to a robust hybrid algorithm that has both exploratory and exploitative functionalities. The proposed hybrid algorithm is named Migration-Based Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (MBICA). To validate its performance, MBICA is used to optimize a variety of benchmark truss structures. Compared to some other methods, this algorithm converges to better or at least identical solutions by reducing the number of structural analyses. Finally, the results of the standard BBO, ICA, and other recently developed metaheuristic optimization methods are compared with the results of this study.

The success of embedded chaos in metaheuristic algorithms is mainly due to providing good balance between exploration and exploitation for metaheuristics. Comparison of optimization results with algorithms in standard mode and embedded of chaos shows a significant improvement in quality of the metaheuristic algorithms, thus reducing the weight of truss structures. Four chaos metaheuristic algorithms with logistic, Tenet and Gaussian maps are considered to improve the results. Despite truss optimization is severely nonlinear and non-convex, and often has several local optimizations, the use of different scenarios chaos allows the local optimizations to be escaped and global optimization to be achieved.

In this paper, the improved shuffled-based Jaya algorithm (IS-Jaya) is applied to the size optimization of the braced dome with the frequency constraints. IS-Jaya is the enhanced version of the Jaya algorithm that the shuffling process and escaping from local optima are added for it. These two modifications increase the population diversity and ability the escape from the local optima of the Jaya. The robustness and performance of the IS-Jaya are evaluated by the three design examples. The results show that the IS-Jaya algorithm outperforms other state-of-the-art optimization techniques considered in the literature.

The existence of uncertainties in engineering problems makes it essential to consider these effects at all times. Robust design optimization allows a design to be made less sensitive to uncertain input parameters. Actually, robust design optimization reduces the sensitivity of the objective function and the variations in design performance when uncertainty exists. In this study, two space trusses were optimized based on the modulus of elasticity, yield stress, and cross-sectional uncertainties in order to increase the response robustness and decrease the weight. The displacement of one node has been used as the criterion for Robust Design Optimization (RDO) of these two structures. Two trusses with 72 members and 582 members are considered, which are famous trusses in the field of structural optimization. Also, the EVPS meta-heuristic algorithm was employed which is an enhanced version of the VPS algorithm based on the single degrees of freedom of a system with viscous damping.

In this paper a parametric study is applied to investigate the effect of the number of cells in optimal cost of the non-prismatic reinforced concrete (RC) box girder bridges. The variables are geometry of cross section, tapered length, concrete strength and reinforcement of the box girders and slabs that are obtained with ECBO metaheuristic algorithm. The design is based on AASHTO standard specification. The constraints are the bending and shear strength, geometric limitations and superstructure deflection. The link of CSiBridge and MATLAB software are used for the optimization process. The methodology is carried out for two-cell, three-cell and four-cell box girder bridges. The results show that the total cost of concrete, bars and formwork for two-cell box girder is less than three- and four-cell box girder bridges.

Metaheuristic algorithms are preferred by the many researchers to reach the reliability based design optimization (RBDO) of truss structures. The cross-sectional area of the elements of a truss is considered as design variables for the size optimization under frequency constraints. The design of dome truss structures are optimized based on reliability by a popular metaheuristic optimization technique named Enhanced Vibrating Particle System (EVPS). Finite element analyses of structures and optimization process are coded in MATLAB. Large-scale dome truss of 600-bar, 1180-bar and 1410-bar are investigated in this paper and are compared with the previous studies. Also, a comparison is made between the reliability indexes of Deterministic Design Optimization (DDO) for large dome trusses and Reliability-Based Design Optimization (RBDO).

Design optimization of structures with discrete and continuous search spaces is a complex optimization problem with lots of local optima. Metaheuristic optimization algorithms, due to not requiring gradient information of the objective function, are efficient tools for solving these problems at a reasonable computational time. In this paper, the Doppler Effect-Mean Euclidian Distance Threshold (DE-MEDT) metaheuristic algorithm is applied to solve the discrete and continuous optimization problems of the truss structures subject to multiple loading conditions and design constraints. DE-MEDT algorithm is a recently proposed metaheuristic developed based on a physical phenomenon called Doppler Effect (DE) with some idealized rules and a mechanism called Mean Euclidian Distance Threshold (MEDT). The efficiency of the DE-MEDT algorithm is evaluated by optimizing five large-scale truss structures with continuous and discrete variables. Comparing the results found by the DE-MEDT algorithm with those of other existing metaheuristics reveals that the DE-MEDT optimizer is a suitable optimization technique for discrete and continuous design optimization of large-scale truss structures.

The cycle basis of a graph arises in a wide range of engineering problems and has a variety of applications. Minimal and optimal cycle bases reduce the time and memory required for most of such applications. One of the important applications of cycle basis in civil engineering is its use in the force method to frame analysis to generate sparse flexibility matrices, which is needed for optimal analysis. In this paper, the simulated annealing algorithm has been employed to form suboptimal cycle basis. The simulated annealing algorithm works by using local search generating neighbor solution, and also escapes local optima by accepting worse solutions. The results show that this algorithm can be used to generate suboptimal and subminimal cycle bases. Compared to the existing heuristic algorithms, it provides better results. One of the advantages of this algorithm is its simplicity and its ease for implementation.