Positron-Enabled Atomic Orbital Search Algorithm for Improved Reliability-Based Design Optimization

Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) is an essential process in designing reliable engineering systems. However, most metaheuristic algorithms used to solve RBDO problems suffer from premature convergence and low search efficiency. To address this, an enhanced metaheuristic algorithm called the positron-enabled atomic orbital search (PAOS) algorithm is proposed. Assuming the process of positronium annihilation and the subsequent emission of double gamma-ray, the energy needed to excite the electrons is generated. As a result, the residual ion can be influenced by the electron and positron contained within the positronium, leading to the production of the desired target atom. This chapter provides a performance analysis of the PAOS on the reliability-based design optimization of two real-world engineering problems: tuned mass dampers and soil-nail wall system. The results demonstrate that the PAOS is enhanced significantly in terms of both convergence speed and accuracy. Furthermore, this chapter investigates the impact of various parameters on the performance of PAOS and discusses the potential applications of the algorithm in various RBDO problems. The PAOS algorithm’s flexibility, efficiency, and ability to explore the search space effectively make it a promising tool for solving various real-world RBDO problems.