Probabilistic design, such as reliability-based design and robust design, offers tools for making reliable decisions with the consideration of uncertainty associated with design variables/parameters and simulation models. Since a probabilistic optimization often involves a double-loop procedure for the overall optimization and iterative probabilistic assessment, the computational demand is extremely high. In this paper, the sequential optimization and reliability assessment (SORA) is developed to improve the efficiency of probabilistic optimization. The SORA method employs a single-loop strategy with a serial of cycles of deterministic optimization and reliability assessment. In each cycle, optimization and reliability assessment are decoupled from each other; the reliability assessment is only conducted after the deterministic optimization to verify constraint feasibility under uncertainty. The key to the proposed method is to shift the boundaries of violated constraints (with low reliability) to the feasible direction based on the reliability information obtained in the previous cycle. The design is quickly improved from cycle to cycle and the computational efficiency is improved significantly. Two engineering applications, the reliability-based design for vehicle crashworthiness of side impact and the integrated reliability and robust design of a speed reducer, are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SORA method.
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March 2004
Technical Papers
Sequential Optimization and Reliability Assessment Method for Efficient Probabilistic Design
Xiaoping Du, Assistant Professor,,
Xiaoping Du, Assistant Professor,
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Missouri‐Rolla, Rolla, MO 65409–4494
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Wei Chen, Associate Professor,
Wei Chen, Associate Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3111
Search for other works by this author on:
Xiaoping Du, Assistant Professor,
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Missouri‐Rolla, Rolla, MO 65409–4494
Wei Chen, Associate Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3111
Contributed by the Design Automation Committee for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received March 2002; revised May 2003. Associate Editor: J. E. Renaud.
J. Mech. Des. Mar 2004, 126(2): 225-233 (9 pages)
Published Online: May 5, 2004
Article history
Received:
March 1, 2002
Revised:
May 1, 2003
Online:
May 5, 2004
Citation
Du, X., and Chen, W. (May 5, 2004). "Sequential Optimization and Reliability Assessment Method for Efficient Probabilistic Design ." ASME. J. Mech. Des. March 2004; 126(2): 225–233. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1649968
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