Metaheuristic Algorithms in Geotechnical Design: A Short Review on Optimising Shallow Foundations

To ensure the safety and serviceability of the footing design, two fundamental criteria must be met: bearing capacity, representing the geotechnical ultimate limit state (ULS), and settlement, representing the serviceability limit state (SLS). There are specific requirements regarding these two criteria, such as achieving a factor of safety of 3 and ensuring that settlement does not exceed 25 mm for a simple pad footing design. On complying with this safety requirement, the cost of the footing plays an important role in design requirements, with material, dimensions, excavation and number of reinforcement bar components that affect the cost. Recent studies are increasingly using optimisation algorithms (OAs) to identify the optimum dimensions and materials for the construction of footings. The primary objective of this review is to optimise shallow foundation design, specifically focusing on the construction cost of the footing using OA techniques. In addition, the study provides recommendations on how to start with a simple pad footing design and use the OA in practice.