Analysis of structures by total potential optimization using meta-heuristic algorithms (TPO/MA)

Use of meta-heuristic algorithms in analysis of structures is much more recent thantheir use in design of structures. Effectively, while design optimization makes use ofgenetic algorithms, simulated annealing, swarm optimization, etc. since about half acentury with an increasing interest, these techniques are being used in structural analysissince a decade only.Total Potential Optimization using Meta-heuristic Algorithms (TPO/MA), thoughbeing an emerging method at the moment, has proved to be very efficient in solvingnonlinear problems, involving both material and geometric nonlinearities. Thecapabilities of the method in treating under-constrained problems and problems with nonuniquesolutions are much more advanced than the classical methods including the wellknownFinite Element Method.