An assembled plane truss structure used for vehicle loading is designed and manufactured. In the truss, the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube and the steel joint are connected by a new technology featuring a pretightened tooth connection. The detailed description for the rod and node design is introduced in this paper, and a typical truss panel is fabricated. Under natural conditions, ...

This paper is concerned with application and evaluation of ant colony optimization (ACO) method to practical structural optimization problems. In particular, a size optimum design of pin-jointed truss structures is considered with ACO such that the members are chosen from ready sections for minimum weight design. The application of the algorithm is demonstrated using two design examples with pr...

This paper presents an interactive framework for the design of truss structures with incorporation of the subjective influence of user feedback in the design process. In the devised framework, the truss chords are described using Non-Uniform Rational Basis Splines (NURBS), a representation typically used in computer aided design (CAD) for describing free-form geometry. This allows for a conveni...

In this investigation, the authors intend to demonstrate the applicability of a recent spotlighted metaheuristic called the great salmon run (TGSR) algorithm for shape and size design of truss structures. The algorithmic functioning of TGSR emulates the annual migration of salmons together with dangers laid through their pathways. In a previous study by the authors, it has been proved that the ...

The main objective of structural engineers through out design history has been to obtain the optimum structure under the prescribed design conditions which can not only withstand external loads safely but also achieve an economic solution. The paper focuses on the use of the fuzzy set theory to optimum design of plane truss structures. The approach is illustrated on planar truss optimization pr...

A novel parameterization concept for structural truss topology optimization is presented in this article that enables the use of evolutionary algorithms in design of large-scale structures. The representational power of Boolean networks is used here to parameterize truss topology. A genetic algorithm then operates on parameters that govern the generation of truss topologies using this random ne...

In this paper, an approach for conducting a Reliability-Based Design Optimization (RBDO) of truss structures with linked-discrete design variables is proposed. The sections of the truss members are selected from the AISC standard tables and thus the design variables that represent the properties of each section are linked. Latin hypercube sampling is used in the evaluation of the structural rel...

This paper presents a new model, called the "shear-friction truss model," for slender reinforced concrete beams to derive a clear and simple design equation for their ultimate shear strength. In this model, a portion of the shear strength is provided by shear reinforcement as in the traditional truss model, and the remainder by the shear-friction mechanism. Friction resistance is derived consid...

A truss climbing robot has been extensively investigated because of its wide range of promising applications such as construction and inspection of truss structures. It is designed to have degrees of freedom to move in three-dimensional truss structures. Although many degrees of freedom allow the robot to reach various position and orientation, it causes complexity of design and control. In thi...