Investigation of parametric effect in optimum retaining wall design using harmony search algorithm

This study focuses on the investigation of the parametric effect of the harmony search algorithm on design variables for optimum cantilever retaining wall design. Variance analyses have been performed for the detection of design parameters which are taken as discrete variables in the optimization process and percentages of the parameter effect have been calculated, as well. Optimum results obtained by the harmony search algorithm have been examined according to the parameter effect of design variables statistically determined via the Taguchi method. Eventually, the attained results have shown that changing the value of the effective design parameter in the design positively contributes to the optimization process. In addition, it has been observed that developing a new solution for the design parameter which has little effect on the design is not significant in converging to the optimum solution.