Sang-Hun Jung ; Jong-Kwon Lim ; Min-Jea Lee
https://dx.doi.org/10.6106/KJCEM.2026.27.4.043
This study applies the Harmony Search (HS) algorithm to optimize the life cycle cost (LCC) of military airfield runway maintenance. Conventional LCC estimation methods, based on fixed maintenance scenarios, have limitations in adequately reflecting long-term cost accumulation effects and inherent uncertainties. To address this issue, this study defines key decision variables, including periodic repair cycle (P), major rehabilitation cycle (R), material grade (M), and equipment configuration (E), and develops an HS-based optimization model capable of systematically exploring various combinations of these variables. The analysis was conducted over a 20-year period for a military airfield runway with a length of 3,000 m and a width of 45 m. The total LCC was estimated by incorporating not only direct costs but also indirect costs associated with runway closure. The simulation results indicate that the HS-based approach achieves significant cost reduction compared to the conventional method. In addition, it demonstrates comparable optimization performance to GA and PSO while exhibiting superior computational efficiency and solution stability. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis confirms that material grade, equipment configuration, and assumptions regarding runway closure time are major factors influencing overall cost trends. These findings suggest that HS is a highly practical optimization method capable of simultaneously improving cost efficiency and supporting decision-making in military airfield runway maintenance.