An improved particle swarm optimization for wind resistance performance design of high-rise buildings

Wind-resistant optimal design is an important issue for structural design of high-rise buildings. However, there are many implicit expressions during the wind-resistant optimization. In this study, a new optimal procedure is proposed by combining the particle swarm optimization (PSO) with an improved penalty function for the wind-resistant design of high-rise buildings. This optimization method takes sectional dimensions of structural members as design variables, structural total weight as objective function and wind-induced responses as constraint conditions, aiming to update wind loads on high-rise buildings instantaneously. The penalty function is used to solve the implicit expression problem during optimization. A 60-story high-rise building is employed as an example to verify the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed optimal design method. The results illustrate that this method can not only minimize total weight of the structure, but also reduce wind loads on the high-rise buildings, thus can be an effective tool for wind-resistant optimal design of high-rise buildings.