Outrigger placement in tall buildings using topology optimization

•A practical tall building simulation model is suggested using hybrid finite element types.•A new outrigger/belt-truss allocation problem is defined using topology optimization.•The continuation method is used for material penalization parameter in order to obtain “0–1” design of outrigger placement.

The burgeoning growth of tall buildings around the world requires novel design methodologies to resolve design challenges imposed by the enormous volume of material and energy employed during their construction and operation. To meet this upcoming social demand on tall buildings, practical and efficient design method is proposed for optimal outrigger placement using topology optimization. Outriggers, one of the key structural components in a tall and narrow building, are the horizontal structures which connect the building core (spine) and the exterior surface in order to improve the building’s shear stiffness. In the proposed method, the high-fidelity simulation model of a tall building is constructed with multiple finite element types for the core and the reinforcing truss system. The floor-wise outriggers are parameterized using the Simple Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) and defined as the design variables. The outrigger placement problem is solved using topology optimization. The continuation method is used for material penalization parameter in order to obtain “0–1” design. The versatility of the proposed design methodology is proven using the realistic FEM model of a three-dimensional 201 m tall building.