Optimization Design And Program Development For Light Portal Frame Structure

In this paper, using finite element analysis program SAP2000 and ANSYS,portal-frame geometric parameters and the section-size have been optimized respectively. This paper redevelops ANSYS to optimally design portal frame base on VB: by VB's figure-interface, combining with the APDL procedures exploited by author, complete the portal-frame optimal design systemically. The procedures are accurate, reliable and more convenient for application than conventional methods.This paper uses large-scale finite element analysis program SAP2000 to analyze portal frame structure from portal-frame geometric parameters, such as optimal span, the span number, column space, column high and variable cross-section locations; Compare the Steel volumes of before and after optimization by examples.By finite element analysis software ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) author has developed a single-variable cross-section portal frame design optimization process. This procedure can be used for various projects. The user can modify the parameters of the analysis process (such as the portal frame span, eaves height, roof slope, longitudinal column space, load) to optimize any portal frame of single Variable cross-section, which greatly improves the analytic efficiency, reduce the analytic cost.This paper develops convenient parameter-input figure-interface by VB, combined with the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) procedures exploited by author, to complete the portal-frame optimal design automatically. Finally, extracts the data results of dealing with VB interface and compared before and after optimal parameters to judge the design of the structure reasonable or not.