Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization of Coupling Trusses under Wind Stiffness Constraints for Multi-Petal Supertall Buildings

The multi-petal tower is a favorable alternative type for supertall buildings because of its distinctive appearance and high wind-resistant performance. The coupling trusses are the important member to connect tower petals to form a stable structural system. The selection of its location and material distribution are of great research value. In this paper, the characteristics and application scenarios of various sensitivity analysis methods are compared. And the incremental sensitivity analysis method is selected to assist determining about the optimal arrangement of the coupling trusses of multi-petal tower under the wind stiffness constraint quickly and efficiently. Based on the sensitivity rank of each coupling truss, the cross section of coupling trusses is optimized. The structural cost of coupling trusses is effectively reduced at the cost of tiny stiffness reduction, which provides an efficient and simple optimization method and application case for similar engineering optimization needs.