Abstract

Many engineering problems can be formulated as an equivalent optimization problem. In fact, the popular finite element method is a form of optimization problem, where local interpolation function is used to represent the local effect within an element. In limit equilibrium and limit analysis, the use of global optimization search for the critical slip surfaces and the failure mechanism is required for many slope stability, lateral earth pressure and bearing capacity problems. For pile driving back analysis, the whole analysis is just actually an optimization process. In this chapter, some of the classical gradient type, as well as the modern heuristic optimization methods will be introduced.