Among all aspects of engineering, design is the most important step in developing a new product. A systematic approach to managing design issues can only be accomplished by applying mathematical optimization methods. Furthermore, due to the practical issues in engineering problems, there are limitations in using traditional methods. As such, stochastic optimization methods such as differential evolution, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms are preferable in finding solutions in design optimization problems. This book reviews mechanical engineering design optimization using stochastic methods. It introduces students and design engineers to practical aspects of complicated mathematical optimization procedures, and outlines steps for wide range of selected engineering design problems. It shows how engineering structures are systematically designed. Many new engineering design applications based on stochastic optimization techniques in automotive, energy, military, naval, manufacturing process and fluids-heat transfer, are described in the book. For each design optimization problem described, background is provided for understanding the solutions. There are very few books on optimization that include engineering applications. They cover limited applications, and that too of well-known design problems of advanced and niche nature. Common problems are hardly addressed. Thus, the subject has remained fairly theoretical. To overcome this, each chapter in this book is contributed by at least one academic and one industrial expert researcher.

Among all aspects of engineering, design is the most important step in developing a new product. A systematic approach to managing design issues can only be accomplished by applying mathematical optimization methods. Furthermore, due to the practical issues in engineering problems, there are limitations in using traditional methods. As such, stochastic optimization methods such as differential evolution, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms are preferable in finding solutions in design optimization problems. This book reviews mechanical engineering design optimization using stochastic methods. It introduces students and design engineers to practical aspects of complicated mathematical optimization procedures, and outlines steps for wide range of selected engineering design problems. It shows how engineering structures are systematically designed. Many new engineering design applications based on stochastic optimization techniques in automotive, energy, military, naval, manufacturing process and fluids-heat transfer, are described in the book. For each design optimization problem described, background is provided for understanding the solutions. There are very few books on optimization that include engineering applications. They cover limited applications, and that too of well-known design problems of advanced and niche nature. Common problems are hardly addressed. Thus, the subject has remained fairly theoretical. To overcome this, each chapter in this book is contributed by at least one academic and one industrial expert researcher.

This book examines optimization problems that in practice involve random model parameters. It details the computation of robust optimal solutions, i.e., optimal solutions that are insensitive with respect to random parameter variations, where appropriate deterministic substitute problems are needed. Based on the probability distribution of the random data and using decision theoretical concepts, optimization problems under stochastic uncertainty are converted into appropriate deterministic substitute problems. Due to the probabilities and expectations involved, the book also shows how to apply approximative solution techniques. Several deterministic and stochastic approximation methods are provided: Taylor expansion methods, regression and response surface methods (RSM), probability inequalities, multiple linearization of survival/failure domains, discretization methods, convex approximation/deterministic descent directions/efficient points, stochastic approximation and gradient procedures and differentiation formulas for probabilities and expectations. In the third edition, this book further develops stochastic optimization methods. In particular, it now shows how to apply stochastic optimization methods to the approximate solution of important concrete problems arising in engineering, economics and operations research.

Computational optimization methods have matured over the last few years due to extensive research by applied mathematicians and engineers. These methods have been applied to many practical applications. Several general-purpose optimization programs and programs for specific engineering applications have become available to solve particular optimization problems.Written by leading researchers in the field of optimization, this highly readable book covers state-of-the-art computational algorithms as well as applications of optimization to structural and mechanical systems. Formulations of the problems and numerical solutions are presented, and topics requiring further research are also suggested.

Optimization methods are perceived to be at the heart of computer methods for designing engineering systems. With these optimization methods, the designer can evaluate more alternatives, resulting in a better and more cost-effective design. This guide describes the use of modern optimization methods with simple yet meaningful structural design examples. Optimum solutions are obtained and, where possible, compared with the solutions obtained using traditional design procedures.

This book is about optimization techniques and is subdivided into two parts. In the first part a wide overview on optimization theory is presented. Optimization is presented as being composed of five topics, namely: design of experiment, response surface modeling, deterministic optimization, stochastic optimization, and robust engineering design. Each chapter, after presenting the main techniques for each part, draws application oriented conclusions including didactic examples. In the second part some applications are presented to guide the reader through the process of setting up a few optimization exercises, analyzing critically the choices which are made step by step, and showing how the different topics that constitute the optimization theory can be used jointly in an optimization process. The applications which are presented are mainly in the field of thermodynamics and fluid dynamics due to the author's background.

Uncertainties play a dominant role in the design and optimization of structures and infrastructures. In optimum design of structural systems due to variations of the material, manufacturing variations, variations of the external loads and modelling uncertainty, the parameters of a structure, a structural system and its environment are not given, fixed coefficients, but random variables with a certain probability distribution. The increasing necessity to solve complex problems in Structural Optimization, Structural Reliability and Probabilistic Mechanics, requires the development of new ideas, innovative methods and numerical tools for providing accurate numerical solutions in affordable computing times. This book presents the latest findings on structural optimization considering uncertainties. It contains selected contributions dealing with the use of probabilistic methods for the optimal design of different types of structures and various considerations of uncertainties. The first part is focused on reliability-based design optimization and the second part on robust design optimization. Comprising twenty-one, self-contained chapters by prominent authors in the field, it forms a complete collection of state-of-the-art theoretical advances and applications in the fields of structural optimization, structural reliability, and probabilistic computational mechanics. It is recommended to researchers, engineers, and students in civil, mechanical, naval and aerospace engineering and to professionals working on complicated costs-effective design problems.