A Particle Swarm Optimization Approach to Retaining Wall Optimization
Abstract
In geotechnical engineering, the best retaining wall design is essential for guaranteeing structural stability, economy, and safety. Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO), a population-based metaheuristic influenced by fish and bird social behaviour, is used in this study to optimise the design of gravity retaining walls. The goal is to satisfy geotechnical and structural restrictions, including sliding, overturning, bearing capacity, and stability against failure, while minimising the overall cost of construction, which involves labour, material, and excavation costs. In contrast to conventional optimisation methods, the PSO algorithm provides high-quality solutions with faster convergence when used to efficiently explore a multi-dimensional design space. The success of the suggested method is shown by numerical examples, which produce optimised wall geometries that satisfy all design requirements. The findings demonstrate PSO's potential as a dependable and effective tool for retaining wall design, which could improve performance and save costs in civil engineering projects.