Optimal design of double layer barrel vaults using improved magnetic charged system search

This paper presents an improved magnetic charged system search (IMCSS) and open application programming interface (OAPI) for optimization of double layer barrel vaults. In IMCSS algorithm, magnetic charged system search (MCSS) and an improved scheme of harmony search (IHS) are utilized and some of the most important parameters in the convergence rate of HS scheme are improved to achieve a good convergence and good solutions especially in final iterations. The OAPI is also utilized for the process of structural analysis, to link the analysis software with the IMCSS algorithm through the programming language. The results demonstrate the efficiency of OAPI as a powerful interface tool for analysis of large-scale structures such as double layer barrel vaults and also the robustness of the IMCSS as an optimization algorithm in fast convergence and achieving the optimal results.