“Optimization modeling in reinforcement cutting”
Prof. Dr. Tahir Çelik, lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering of Cyprus International University (CIU), Faculty of Engineering stated that due to the unplanned cutting of the reinforcement steel used in concrete structures causes squandering of resources and that it is possible to reduce losses in these processes with optimization modeling.
Prof. Dr. Çelik emphasized that a large amount of reinforcing steel was wasted due to the unplanned cutting of 12m standard length reinforcing steel with various diameters and said that they carried out a study to reduce the waste caused by this unplanned cutting.
Prof. Dr. Çelik pointed out that cutting the reinforcement steel prior to 'figuring out an optimized cut” causes serious problems and increases the cost of the project, and added, “The aim in optimization is to find the best cutting model for pieces of various lengths from standard size materials in stock in order to minimize the waste arising from cutting but to meet the needs of the construction."
Çelik stated that a mathematical model and procedure was used in this study to organize the cutting plans with a minimum loss, and explained that "Microsoft Excel and Cutting Optimization Pro programming techniques were used to create the optimum stock usage plan and cutting plan for a particular structural component".
Çelik stated that they used the Shearing Optimization Pro program using the data obtained from a villa construction in this case study and emphasized that the results obtained thanks to optimal cutting, and the proposed methodology and the program developed for this purpose provided a solution in terms of reducing wasted materials.
Stating that the findings of the study allow a significant contribution of up to 20% on the amount of steel wasted and the cost of reinforcement, Çelik said, “The construction used in this case study was 210 sq.m. There was approximately a 20% waste in reinforcement steel. This rate may be less in high-rise apartment buildings. However, it is around 20% in single home projects.”