Optimization of connections for spatial modular structures

Abstract

Every year Seville’s city Council orders the construction of a giant gateway for the celebration of the April Fair. These constructions, whose dimensions are approximately 50 meters length, 40 meters height and variable depth of 4 to 5 meters, are spatial modular structures composed of steel tubular elements connected by clamps and covered by wood boards. The consideration or not of the eccentricities introduced by the connection element as well as the determination of the stiffness to consider is one of the major problems when developing the analysis model. The construction company aims to achieve their optimization in order to reduce the final cost. This paper investigates about how different ways of modeling these connections affects the optimization of the final model. The extent to which the modification of the position of the eccentricities influences the optimization is also discussed, as this aspect is difficult to control on site.