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Truss bridge design with reclaimed steel elements by performing a stock‐constrained shape and topology optimisation

Author(s): (Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology Delft Netherlands)
(Arup Amsterdam Amsterdam Netherlands)
(Applied Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology Delft Netherlands)
(Applied Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology Delft Netherlands)
(Steel and Composite Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology Delft Netherlands)
Medium: journal article
Language(s): English
Published in: ce/papers, , n. 3-4, v. 6
Page(s): 401-406
DOI: 10.1002/cepa.2468
Abstract:

To move up the circular economy hierarchy steel profiles should be reused instead of recycled. To efficiently utilise the limited availability of reclaimed steel elements in new structures, a different approach is required: form follows availability. This paper presents an algorithm for generating truss bridge designs using only reclaimed steel, which optimises material efficiency and avoids cut‐off waste. The algorithm does not require an initial design or a grid of possible positions like the commonly used ground structure method. Instead, it lets a truss geometry grow from start to end. The algorithm was developed using Python in Grasshopper, resulting in a user‐friendly parametric design process. By defining the width and span of a truss bridge and providing a stock of reclaimed elements, a solution cloud of locally optimal truss bridge designs in terms of capacity utilisation is generated, which comply to Eurocode provisions. An optimal design can be selected with given objectives, e.g. the lowest environmental impact. A case study showed that the developed growth method can lead to a truss with 63% less embodied carbon than conventionally designed new steel trusses and 17% less embodied carbon than optimised standard truss designs with retrofitted reclaimed steel elements.

Structurae cannot make the full text of this publication available at this time. The full text can be accessed through the publisher via the DOI: 10.1002/cepa.2468.
  • About this
    data sheet
  • Reference-ID
    10767058
  • Published on:
    17/04/2024
  • Last updated on:
    17/04/2024
 
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