Coevolutionary and genetic algorithm based building spatial and structural design

Abstract

In this article, two methods to develop and optimize accompanying building spatial and structural designs are compared. The first, a coevolutionary method, applies deterministic procedures, inspired by realistic design processes, to cyclically add a suitable structural design to the input of a spatial design, evaluate and improve the structural design via the finite element method and topology optimization, adjust the spatial design according to the improved structural design, and modify the spatial design such that the initial spatial requirements are fulfilled. The second method uses a genetic algorithm that works on a population of accompanying building spatial and structural designs, using the finite element method for evaluation. If specific performance indicators and spatial requirements are used (i.e., total strain energy, spatial volume, and number of spaces), both methods provide optimized building designs; however, the coevolutionary method yields even better designs in a faster and more direct manner, whereas the genetic algorithm based method provides more design variants. Both methods show that collaborative design, for example, via design modification in one domain (here spatial) to optimize the design in another domain (here structural) can be as effective as monodisciplinary optimization; however, it may need adjustments to avoid the designs becoming progressively unrealistic. Designers are informed of the merits and disadvantages of design process simulation and design instance exploration, whereas scientists learn from a first fully operational and automated method for design process simulation, which is verified with a genetic algorithm and subject to future improvements and extensions in the community.

Toolbox for super-structured and super-structure free multi-disciplinary building spatial design optimisation

“…In the field of structural design, [27] describes a super-structure free approach in the optimisation of structural topologies. Moreover, in [28] simulations of a coevolutionary design process (these simulations can also be interpreted as asymmetric subspace optimisation [29]) are used to find a building spatial design for which a structural design created by certain design rules shows minimal strain energy.…”

“…randomly selected) space is divided (equation 9) into two new spaces, resulting in a new spatial design (equation 10). This process is further illustrated in figure 3 and has been used by [28] for real-world optimisation scenarios.…”

A Super-Structure Based Optimisation Approach for Building Spatial Designs

“…a new window cannot appear). Very recently, advances in early design optimisation are made: Hofmeyer & Davila Delgado [2] for example use a design process inspired optimisation approach to optimise a building spatial design for the structural performance of its related structural design. Attia et al [3] present software that gives information about building physics performances during early design stages.…”

“…This is carried out by applying a so-called structural grammar on each building space. The grammar selected here adds four walls (t = 150mm), with a slab on top (t = 150mm), all made of concrete (elasticity modulus: E = 30000N/mm 2 (N, N/W, W, etc.). After the transfer of the loads to the building structural design and meshing of the structure, finite element analyses are carried out to find the total compliance for all loads together.…”

“…After the transfer of the loads to the building structural design and meshing of the structure, finite element analyses are carried out to find the total compliance for all loads together. Detailed information can be found in the paper by Hofmeyer & Davila Delgado [2]. In summary the first optimisation task is to minimise the total compliance S C subject to the given constraints.…”