Genetic Algorithm for the optimal placement of Self-Centering Damage-Free joints in steel MRFs

Nowadays' earthquake engineering is coping with the challenging task of providing low-cost seismic resilient structures. Among others, a viable solution for Steel Moment Resisting Frames (MRFs) based on use Self-Centering Damage-Free (SCDF) joints at Column Bases (CBs) and Beam-to-Column Joints (BCJs), ensuring both energy dissipation capacity self-centering behavior structure. Past studies demonstrated beneficial effects gained in damage residual drifts reduction by including SCDF all BCJs CBs. However, this leads to highest structural complexity, limiting practical application. Significant improvements can be obtained limited number BCJs, but there lack generalized recommendations required their effective placement. In work, Genetic Algorithm (GA) proposed define optimal placement steel MRFs. The GA implemented Matlab, non-linear time-history analyses are performed OpenSees calculate Fitness-Function. results validated against Brute-Force Approach. An 8-story 3-bays MRF type joint selected case study purposes, Finite Element Models developed OpenSees, applied. show that an efficient methodology solve considered optimization problem.