ABSTRACT
The complexity of bridge optimization is due to the fact that the design of this type of structures evolve a large number of variables. These, generate a space of solutions with too many possibilities to be evaluated in their totality. Because of this, in this work, the optimization of a steel‐concrete composite box girder bridge has been performed considering cost as objective function by using heuristic methods. To achieve this objective, a Threshold Accepting with a Mutation Operator (TAMO) has been chosen for the structural optimization of a steel concrete composite bridge. It is observed that the addition of cells on the connections between webs and flanges improves the cross section structural behaviour. The proposed double composite‐action design allows to reduce the number of stiffeners for this study case. This method automatize the optimization process of an initial design of a composite bridge, allowing to reach optimum designs without a great expertise in bridge structural design.
