ABSTRACT

Reinforced concrete tanks suffer corrosion in aggressive media and their life decreases 7 to 10 times compared to that of tanks working under normal conditions. A new structural material known as reinforced polymer concrete makes it possible to increase the service life of such structures. A scientific approach to optimisation of structures was first formulated over 20 years ago, when the suitability of the methods of mathematical programming for this purpose was established. In this chapter, the discussion centres in particular on models of global optimisation of large structures, as this is extremely important in the design of buildings and structures. The chapter proposes a manner for the lining of underground tanks in soft soils to be implemented. Results revealed that the proposed method sharply enhances the productivity and reduces the period of construction. Furthermore, the quality of the lining produced is also better.