In this study an efficient meta-heuristic is proposed for layout optimization of truss structures by combining cellular automata (CA) and firefly algorithm (FA). In the proposed meta-heuristic, called here as cellular automata firefly algorithm (CAFA), a new equation is presented for position updating of fireflies based on the concept of CA. Two benchmark examples of truss structures are presen...

Fragility curves represent the probabilities that structural damages, under various levels of seismic excitation, will exceed the specified damage states by means of earthquake intensity damage relations. Conceptual aspects related to seismic vulnerability, damage and risk evaluation are discussed first, together with a short review of the most widely used possibilities for the seismic evaluati...

The prevalent strategy in the topology optimization phase is to select a subset of members existing in an excessively connected truss, called Ground Structure, such that the overall weight or cost is minimized. Although finding a good topology significantly reduces the overall cost, excessive growth of the size of topology space combined with existence of varied types of design variables challe...

We develop the technique of Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz to investigate the ground state and the spectrum in the thermodynamic limit of the staggered XXZ models proposed recently as an example of integrable ladder model. This model appeared due to staggered inhomogeneity of the anisotropy parameter ∆ and the staggered shift of the spectral parameter. We give the structure of ground states and low...

In this work, the particle swarm optimization method is employed for the reliability-based optimal design of statically determinate truss structures. Particle swarm optimization is inspired by the social behavior of flocks swarms of birds and insects particles . Every particle’s position represents a specific design. The algorithm searches the design space by adjusting the trajectories of the p...

A framing bias shows risk aversion in problems framed as "gains" and risk seeking in problems framed as "losses," even when these are objectively equivalent and probabilities and outcomes values are explicitly provided. We test this framing bias in situations where decision makers rely on their own experience, sampling the problem's options (safe and risky) and seeing the outcomes before making...

We investigate the validity of the square rooting procedure of the staggered determinant in the context of the Schwinger model. We find some evidence that at fixed physical quark mass the square root of the staggered determinant becomes proportional to the overlap determinant in the continuum limit. We also find that at fixed lattice spacing moderate smearing dramatically improves the chiral be...