Abstract

The present work aims to define formally the method termed as \textit{``Idealized Smeared Reinforcement'' (ISR)} for optimization in the design of reinforcing steel in concrete structures, its boundaries, background and potentials. Such method has been extensively used implicitly in many different studies of reinforced concrete structures related with optimization and mechanical structural behaviour, but it has not yet been formally established as a method itself even though it represents a great solution approach when designing optimally concrete sections, which is a tendency so vital nowadays for sustainability in construction projects. A general survey of such method of the ISR will be presented on in this document, presenting relevant background research related to the use of the method and optimization of reinforcing steel in general for concrete structures, thereafter proposals of different optimization methods, both classical optimization and meta-heuristic methods will be regarded as possible approaches to apply the ISR, specifically Gradient Descent Optimization methods when one variable for the ISR is considered and meta-heuristics for more than one variable involved given their versatility and flexibility to adapt to different problems, particularly the Particle Swarm Optimization PSO method and the Genetic Algorithm GA. At the end, these solution approaches for the application of the ISR method will be compared for the testing of rectangular solid geometries with different analysis parameters in order to show how adaptable and feasible such ISR method might be using a proper optimization algorithm and analysis for its approach when designing reinforcing steel.