Title: Cost and safety optimisation in 'Berlin' type retaining walls

Authors: Eleftherios-Stamatios Telis; George J. Besseris; Constantinos Stergiou; Mukesh Limbachiya

Addresses: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK ' Piraeus University of Applied Sciences (former Technological Education Institute of Piraeus), 250, Thivon & P. Ralli Str. 12244 Egaleo – Athens, Greece ' Piraeus University of Applied Sciences (former Technological Education Institute of Piraeus), 250, Thivon & P. Ralli Str. 12244 Egaleo – Athens, Greece; Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK ' Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 2EE, UK

Abstract: Studies for earth retaining wall structures provide engineers with the values for the response of design characteristics which represents the stability and the required budget for the completion of a project. Fundamental theories guide engineers to combinations of design variables values. These values have a direct relation to the responses of the earth retaining wall structure. The requirement of this analysis is that there is no proven technique which ensures the best combination of design variables for the simultaneous optimisation of safety factor and overall cost of a project. This paper presents an integration of the desirability analysis which provides the multivariate optimisation with the performance of few experimental runs based on statistical tools and finite elements methodology. The methodology provides a 24% higher safety factor and 50% lower overall cost comparing to the results of an experienced foundation engineering company.

Keywords: multiresponse optimisation; earth retaining walls; wall structures; safety factor; overall cost; finite element method; FEM; foundation engineering; structural engineering.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTRUCTE.2016.079284

International Journal of Structural Engineering, 2016 Vol.7 No.4, pp.355 - 366

Received: 11 Sep 2015
Accepted: 27 Oct 2015

Published online: 26 Sep 2016 *

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