Decoupled approach to multidisciplinary design optimization under uncertainty

Abstract

We propose solution methods for multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) under uncertainty. This is a class of stochastic optimization problems that engineers are often faced with in a realistic design process of complex systems. Our approach integrates solution methods for reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) with solution methods for deterministic MDO problems. The integration is enabled by the use of a deterministic equivalent formulation and the first order Taylor's approximation in these RBDO methods. We discuss three specific combinations: the RBDO methods with the multidisciplinary feasibility method, the all-at-once method, and the individual disciplinary feasibility method. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the procedure.

Numerical Methods for Reliability and Safety Assessment

“…A sequential optimization and reliability analysis (SORA) framework was developed by Du et al (2008) by decoupling the optimization and reliability analyses. Chiralaksanakul and Mahadevan (2007) integrated solution methods for reliability-based design optimization with solution methods for deterministic MDO problems to address MDO under uncertainty. Smith (2007) combined the techniques in Mahadevan and Smith (2006) and Chiralaksanakul and Mahadevan (2007) for the design of aerospace structures.…”

“…Chiralaksanakul and Mahadevan (2007) integrated solution methods for reliability-based design optimization with solution methods for deterministic MDO problems to address MDO under uncertainty. Smith (2007) combined the techniques in Mahadevan and Smith (2006) and Chiralaksanakul and Mahadevan (2007) for the design of aerospace structures. As mentioned earlier, the focus of this chapter is only on MDA under uncertainty, and therefore, aspects of MDO will not be discussed hereafter.…”

Multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization under uncertainty

“…A typical deterministic MDO problem statement is provided in [96] and as shown in provided in the previous chapters, thus will not be repeated. Then next section will explain BNC-MDO using an RBDO formulation.…”

Reliability-Based Multidisciplinary Design Optimization under Correlated Uncertainties

“…Gu et al [3,4] proposed an implicit uncertainty delivery method to estimate the uncertainties. Sankararaman et al [5,6] utilized Bayesian statistics to solve the presence of incomplete information in actual design situations. Yao et al [7] presented a RBMDO procedure based on combined probability and evidence theory to solve the problem under aleatory and epistemic uncertainties.…”