An optimal design method in cooperated with nonlinear inelastic analysis is presented. The proposed nonlinear inelastic method overcomes the difficulties due to incompatibility between the elastic global analysis and the limit state member design in the conventional LRFD method. The genetic algorithm used is a procedure based on Darwinian notions of survival of the fittest, where selection, crossover, and mutation operators are used to look for high performance ones among sections in the database. They are satisfied with the constraint functions and give the lightest weight to the structure. The objective function taken is the total weight of the steel structure and the constraint functions are load-carrying capacity, serviceability, and ductility requirement. Case studies of a planar portal frame, a space two-story frame, and a three-dimensional steel arch bridge are presented.