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Abstract
The Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method was introduced by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995, and essentially works on the basis of mimicking the behavior of flocks or swarms, searching for food or escaping a predator. The interested reader is referred to for an extensive review on successful applications of the PSO method. The advantages of PSO compared to GA comprise a simpler setup, an often faster convergence rate, and computational efficiency, while still providing the same quality solutions. Fourie and Groen wold were the first to apply the particle swarm optimization (PSO) method for the design of truss structures, confirming its efficiency compared to GAs.