Optimization of engineered Wood Foundation for rotating machines under harmonic dynamic loading using genetic algorithms

Abstract

This work presents the structural optimization of a wooden planar frame designed to serve as the foundation for a rotary machine. The main goal is to minimize the mass of the structure via optimization techniques, meeting the ultimate and serviceability requirements specified by the NBR 7190:2022 standard code for the design of wooden structures. The dynamic analysis is performed by modal superposition, considering both the transient and permanent components of the response. The results show that, due to the high safety margin present in the design constraints related to stress and stability, the main design criterion to be considered is ensuring that the natural frequencies of the structure are sufficiently separated from the excitation frequencies of the machine. Therefore, optimizing this type of problem primarily involves avoiding resonance conditions.