Optimization of Lower Suspension Point Position in Attached Cantilever Scaffold

Abstract

An attached cantilever scaffold, which mainly consists of a cantilever horizontal steel beam and a diagonal bar, is a new type of cantilever scaffold. The upper end of the diagonal bar is attached to an upper floor slab by a hinge, while the lower end is connected to a cantilever beam. Therefore, the position of the lower suspension point has a significant impact on the overall mechanical performance. However, current research on this topic is limited. Thus, in this study, we aim to optimize the mechanical behavior by changing the lower suspension point position. An optimization methodology based on the genetic algorithm is proposed. This methodology has been demonstrated to be efficient and accurate enough to determine the optimal lower suspension point position of a diagonal bar. The effects of different beam cross-sections, diagonal bar diameters, and upper suspension point positions are further investigated. The bearing capacity is shown to improve by more than 100% and 30% for hinged and rigidly connected cantilever beams when the proposed optimization methodology is adopted. The analysis in this study can serve as a reference for the optimal design of an attached cantilever scaffold and can provide a theoretical basis for developing related design software.