H2020Staff exchange2016–2020

OptArch · Optimization Driven Architectural Design of Structures

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration: 2016-02-01 → 2020-01-31
EU contribution: €1,620,000
Participants: 17
Scheme: MSCA-RISE

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners. CORDIS does not always give exact coordinates for projects before 2014. These points are placed at city or country level.

Results in brief

Optimization Driven Architectural Design of Structures

The methodology for dealing with optimization problems in the field of architectural design relies on trial and error procedure. This approach has the disadvantage of being difficult to implement and also not taking into account mathematical aspects of optimization procedure. The challenging main objective of OptArch is to propose a radically new design procedure for safer, more economic and environmentally friendly structures. Methodologically, this will be achieved by an in-depth investigation of fundamental aspects of architectural design and by implementing design procedure at three different levels, corresponding to different levels of available hardware performance. For conceptual and preliminary design phases, new design procedures are also proposed. The tasks of OptArch integrate and extend previous research of Consortium in the fields of structural optimization, numerical analysis, novel structural engineering approaches, soft computing and computer technology. Such a multidisciplinary approach is deemed necessary to tackle the challenges associated with achieving project objective. The expertise of Consortium in all aspects of proposed research, combined with exceptional opportunities provided by MSCA Actions, give OptArch the potential to significantly enhance our knowledge and improve current design practice of structural systems, helping future generations of engineers to design safer, more economic and eco-friendly structures. An additional result of OptArch is to consolidate the Consortium as a leading independent researcher and team leader in an academic environment which is currently suffering from a pronounced brain-drain of young talents. The OptArch project focuses on: (1) Collaboration and exchange of knowledge between partners. (2) Specialization of expertise regarding SMEs participating. (3) Development of cheaper and more efficient structures. (4) Create and test of methodologies for applying optimization in different design phases of structures. (5) Exploiting topology optimization techniques in computer aided architectural design. (6) Exchange ideas and propose formulations to real life applications. (7) Develop solutions for optimized multidisciplinary architectural designs. (8) Combine criteria deriving from structural mechanics, eco design, bioclimatic design and acoustic performance. As the project completed its work, it is clearly defined that optimization of structures with respect to various criteria is possible in practise while advantages of such practise are significant (economy, ecology, etc).

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

According to UNEP, the building sector is estimated to be worth 10% of the global GDP and employs 111 million people. In addition, buildings use about 40% of global energy, 40% of global resources and emit approximately 33% of global GHG emissions. Finally, the fact that people today spend, on average, more than 80% of their time indoors, enhances its social importance. All above indicate the necessity to optimize building design.Architects usually name ""optimal design"" the choice among a very limited set of design alternatives, dictated by their experience and intuition. However, modern design of structures requires one to account for a great number of criteria deriving from multiple disciplines, often of conflicting nature. The vast number of alternative choices enhances the possibility of arriving at an optimum with the incorporation of smart, automatic tools in the design process, further guiding designer’s intuition.The principal aim of the proposed Network is to create and test methodologies for the application of optimization techniques in different design phases of civil structures by developing strong synergies among a multi-disciplinary team of academic experts from Greece, France, Cyprus, Canada, Turkey, Egypt & Jordan and SMEs from France & Greece.A first goal of the project is to exploit the use of shape and topology optimization techniques in computer aided architectural design. Moreover, the Network wants to exchange ideas, propose formulations that correspond to real-life applications and develop solutions for optimal multi-disciplinary architectural design. Of particular interest is the combination of criteria deriving from structural mechanics, eco-design, bioclimatic design and acoustic performance.For each topic, joint workshops, seminars and long-term visits will be organized at the coordinating and partner institutions. The results will be published in scientific journals, professional magazines and presented in international conferences.""

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION · ATHINACoordinatorGreece
AMERICAN COMPUTERS AND ENGINEERS HELLAS SA · AGIA PARASKEVI ATHINAGreece
CAIRO UNIVERSITY · GizaEgypt
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE · PALAISEAU CEDEXFrance
EUPRAXIA LIMITED · LIMASSOLCyprus
GEDIZ UNIVERSITESI · MENEMEN IZMIRCountry levelTürkiye
IDEA75 SRL · BARIItaly
INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE · GRENOBLE CEDEX 1France
IOPTI · VERSAILLESCity levelFrance
IZMIR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · İzmirTürkiye
JORDAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY · IrbidJordan
POLITECNICO DI BARI · BariItaly
ROYAL INSTITUTION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING MCGILL UNIVERSITY · MontrealCanada
SHAPE IDIOTIKI KEFALAIOUCHIKI ETAIRIA · NEA IONIAGreece
UNIVERSITE PARIS CITE · ParisFrance
UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS · NicosiaCyprus
YASAR UNIVERSITESI · İzmirTürkiye

OptArch · Optimization Driven Architectural Design of Structures

Results in brief

Optimization Driven Architectural Design of Structures

Project objective

Participants

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