Optimization Methods

DESIGN OPTIMIZATION
Prepared By:
PC-02 Prajwal Sonawane
PC-04 Pranjal Agarwal
PC-21 Mukul Waghdarikar Guided By:
PC-42 Om Todkar Prof. Dr. Suhasini Desai
PC-43 Pranay Luniya
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1.0. Introduction:
In optimization of a design, the design objective could be simply to
minimize the cost of production or to maximize the efficiency of
production. An optimization algorithm is a procedure which is
executed iteratively by comparing various solutions till an optimum
or a satisfactory solution is found.
With the advent of computers, optimization has become a part of
computer-aided design activities. There are two distinct types of
optimization algorithms widely used today.

(a) Deterministic Algorithms.

They use specific rules for moving one solution to other. These
algorithms are in use to suite some times and have been
successfully applied for many engineering design problems.
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(b) Stochastic Algorithms.
The stochastic algorithms are in nature with probabilistic
translation rules. These are gaining popularity due to certain
properties which deterministic algorithms do not have.
2.0 Optimal problem formulation:
A naive optimal design is achieved by comparing a few
(limited up to ten or so) alternative solutions created by using a
priori problem knowledge. In this method feasibility of each design
solution is first investigated. Thereafter an estimate of underlying
objective (cost, profit, etc., ) of each solution is compared and best
solution is adopted.
It is impossible to apply single formulation procedure for all
engineering design problems, since the objective in a design
problem and associated therefore, design parameters vary product
to product different techniques are used in 3
different problems. Purpose of formulation is to create a
mathematical model of the optimal design problem, which then
can be solved using an optimization algorithm. Figure 1 shows an
outline of the steps usually involved in an optimal design
formulation.

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Design variables:
The formulation of an optimization problem begins with
identifying the underlying design variables, which are primarily
varied during the optimization process. A design problem usually
involves many design parameters, of which some are highly
sensitive to the proper working of the design. These parameters
are called design variables in the parlance of optimization
procedures. Other (not so important) design parameters usually
remain fixed or vary in relation to the design variables.
The first thumb rule of the formulation of an optimization problem
is to choose as few design variables as possible. The outcome of
that optimization procedure may indicate whether to include more
design variables in a revised formulation or to replace some
previously considered design variables with new design variables.
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Constraints:
The constraints represent some functional relationships among
the design variables and other design parameters satisfying certain
physical phenomenon and certain resource limitations. The nature
and number of constraints to be included in the formulation depend
on the user. Constraints may have exact mathematical expressions
or not.
For example, maximum stress is a constraint of a structure. If a
structure has regular shape they have an exact mathematical
relation of maximum stress with dimensions. But incase irregular
shape, finite element simulation software may be necessary to
compute the maximum stress.
The following two types of constraints emerge from most
considerations:
1. Inequality type constraints.
2. Equality type constraints. 6
Objective functions:
The next task in the formulation procedure is to find the
objective function in terms of the design variables and other
problem parameters. The common engineering objectives involve
minimization of overall cost of manufacturing or minimization of
overall weight of a component or maximization of total life of a
product or others.
Although most of the objectives can be quantified (expressed
in mathematical form), there are some objectives (such as
aesthetic aspect of a design, ride characteristics of a car
suspension design and reliability of a design) that may not be
possible to formulate mathematically. In such a case an
approximating mathematical expression is used.

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 In real world optimization, there could be more than one
objective that the designer may want to optimize simultaneously.
The multiple objective optimization algorithms are complex and
computationally expensive. Therefore the most important objective
is chosen as the objective function and the other objectives are
included as constraints by restricting their values within a certain
range.
For example, consider optimal truss structure design problem.
The designer may be interested in minimizing the overall weight of
the structure and simultaneously be concerned in minimizing the
deflection of a specific point in the truss. In the optimal problem
formulation, the designer may like to use the weight of the truss
(as a function of the cross sections of the members) as the
objective function and have a constraint with the deflection of the
concerned point to be less than a specific limit.
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 The objective function can be of two types. Either it is to be
maximized or it has to be minimized. Usually the optimization
algorithms were written for minimization problems or
maximization problems. Although in some algorithms, some
minor structural changes would enable to perform either
minimization (or) maximization; this requires extensive
knowledge of the algorithm.
The duality principle helps by allowing the same algorithm to
be used for minimization or maximization with a minor change in
the objective function instead of a change in the entire algorithm.
If the algorithm is for solving a minimization problem, it can be
easily changed to a maximization problem by multiplying the
objective function by − 1 and vice versa.

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3. Optimization Algorithms
The formulation of engineering design problems differ from problem
to problem. They are
(i) Linear terms for constraints and objective function
(ii) Non linear terms for constraints and objective function.
The terms are not explicit functions of the design variables. No
single optimization algorithm which will work in all optimization
problems equals efficiently.
For the sake of clarity, the optimization algorithms are
classified into a number of groups, which are now briefly
discussed.
(a) Single-variable optimization algorithms.
These algorithms are classified into two categories
i. Direct methods
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ii. Gradient based methods
Direct methods do not use any derivative information of the
objective function; only objective function values are used to guide
the search process. However, gradient-based methods use
derivative information (first and/ or second order) to guide the
search process.
Although engineering optimization problems usually contain
more than one variable, single-variable optimization algorithms are
mainly used as unidirectional search methods in multivariable
optimization algorithms.
(b) Multi- variable optimization algorithms.
These algorithms demonstrate how the search for the optimum
point progresses in multiple dimensions. Depending on whether
the gradient information is used or not used, these algorithms are
also classified into direct and gradient-based techniques.
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(c) Constrained optimization algorithms.
These algorithms use the single variable and multivariable
optimization algorithms repeatedly and simultaneously maintain the
search effort inside the feasible search region. These algorithms are
mostly used in engineering optimization problems.
(d) Specialized optimization algorithms.
Two of these algorithms - integer programming and geometric
programming - are often used in engineering design problems.
Integer programming methods can solve optimization problems with
integer design variables. Geometric programming methods solve
optimization problems with objective functions and constraints
written in a special form.
(e) Non-traditional optimization algorithms.
There are two algorithms which are nontraditional, these are:
a) Genetic algorithms
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b) Simulated annealing.
Example:1 Optimal design of a truss structure
Consider the seven bar truss structure shown in the Fig.2. The loading is
also shown in the figure. The length of the members AC = CE = l = 1m
Optimize,
1. Topology of the truss structure (the connectivity of the elements in a
truss).
2. Once optimal layout is known, cross section of every element is another
optimization problem.

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Example: 2 Optimal design of a car suspension

Fig.4. A two-dimensional model of a car suspension system

The comfort in riding a car largely depends on the suspension

characteristics. The car body is usually supported by a
suspension coil spring and a damper at each wheel (Figure 4). In
order to formulate the optimal design problem, the first task is to
identify the important design variables.
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Sprung mass ms, Front coil stiffness kfs,
Front unsprung mass mfu, Rear coil stiffness krs,
Rear unsprung mass mru, Front tyre stiffness kft,
Rear damper coefficient αr Rear tyre stiffness krt,
Front damper coefficient α f Axle-to-axle distance l,
Polar moment of inertia of the car J,
As long time is taken for the convergence of the optimization
with all parameters as design variables, only four important
parameters-front coil stiffness kfs, rear coil stiffness krs, front
damper coefficient α f , and rear damper coefficient αr are
considered as design variables. Other design parameters are kept
constant:
ms = 1000 kg l = 3.2 m
mfu = 70 kg l1 = 1.6 m
mru = 150 kg l2 = 1.6 m
kft = 20 kg/mm J = 550 kg-m2
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krt = 20 kg/mm
References
1) Engineering Optimization Theory & Practice,
Wiley Publications,Singiresu S Rao
2) Engineering Optimization Methods & Applications
Wiley Publications,A Ravindran K.M. Ragsdell
G.V. Reklaitis