LAUSR

Abstract The frequency constrained design of large-scale structures is a complex optimization problem with many local optima. In order to tackle this problem, in this paper, a chaotic version of a newly-established metaheuristic algorithm, the so-called Water Strider Algorithm (WSA), is introduced. This version repetitively diversifies solutions and then focuses on promising areas during the course of iterations. The chaotic algorithm involves two types of succession states, namely explorative and exploitative states, and it probabilistically switches between them using the Circle map with a quasi-cyclic behavior. To examine the effectiveness of this algorithm, it is applied to structural optimization of large-scale structures with multiple frequency constraints such as 600-, 1180- and 1410-bar dome trusses. The results show that the new version outperforms its basic version as well as some other well-established algorithms in the literature. The statistical measures reveal that it is reasonably capable of providing a satisfactory performance in terms of both obtaining lighter designs and convergence speed.