Reliability-based optimization of geotechnical engineering using the artificial bee colony algorithm

The performance and safety of a geotechnical engineering system are affected by uncertainties. The purpose of Reliability-Based Optimization (RBO) is to find a balanced design that is not only economical but also reliable in the presence of uncertainties. Numerous reliability optimization techniques have been proposed. In this study, the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm is employed for reliable optimization of a geotechnical engineering system. The proposed ABC-RBO method combines ABC and First Order Reliability Methods (FORM). Optimization is performed with ABC, while the reliability analysis is performed with FORM, incorporating Excel solver. The proposed method is verified by two geotechnical engineering examples and compared with other methods, and shown to be robust, accurate, and feasible.