Reliability-based shape optimization of structures undergoing fluid–structure interaction phenomena

Fluid–structure interaction phenomena are often roughly approximated when the stochastic nature of a system is considered in the design optimization process, leading to potentially significant epistemic uncertainty. In this paper, after reviewing the state-of-the-art methods in robust and reliability-based design optimization of problems undergoing fluid–structure interaction phenomena, a computational framework is presented that integrates a high-fidelity aeroelastic model into reliability-based design optimization. The design optimization problem is formulated pursuant to the reliability index and performance measure approaches. The system reliability is evaluated by a first-order reliability analysis method. The steady-state aeroelastic problem is described by a three-field formulation and solved by a staggered procedure, coupling a potentially detailed structural finite element model and a finite volume discretization of the Euler flow. The design and imperfection sensitivities are computed by evaluating the analytically derived direct and adjoint coupled aeroelastic sensitivity equations. The computational framework is verified by the optimization of three-dimensional wing structures. The lift-to-drag ratio is maximized, subject to stress constraints, by varying shape, thickness, and material properties. Uncertainties in structural parameters, including design parameters, operating conditions, and modeling uncertainties are considered. The results demonstrate the need for reliability-based optimization methods, for the design of structures undergoing fluid–structure interaction phenomena, and the applicability of the proposed framework to realistic design problems. Comparing the optimization results for different levels of uncertainty shows the importance of accounting for uncertainties in a quantitative manner.     

Non-probabilistic reliability-based topology optimization with multidimensional parallelepiped convex model

In this paper, a new non-probabilistic reliability-based topology optimization (NRBTO) method is proposed to account for interval uncertainties considering parametric correlations. Firstly, a reliability index is defined based on a newly developed multidimensional parallelepiped (MP) convex model, and the reliability-based topology optimization problem is formulated to optimize the topology of the structure, to minimize material volume under displacement constraints. Secondly, an efficient decoupling scheme is applied to transform the double-loop NRBTO into a sequential optimization process, using the sequential optimization & reliability assessment (SORA) method associated with the performance measurement approach (PMA). Thirdly, the adjoint variable method is used to obtain the sensitivity information for both uncertain and design variables, and a gradient-based algorithm is employed to solve the optimization problem. Finally, typical numerical examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed topology optimization method.     

An efficient reliability-based optimization scheme for uncertain linear systems subject to general Gaussian excitation

A very efficient methodology to carry out reliability-based optimization of linear systems with random structural parameters and random excitation is presented. The reliability-based optimization problem is formulated as the minimization of an objective function for a specified reliability. The probability that design conditions are satisfied within a given time interval is used as a measure of the system reliability. Approximation concepts are used to construct high quality approximations of dynamic responses in terms of the design variables and uncertain structural parameters during the design process. The approximations are combined with an efficient simulation technique to generate explicit approximations of the reliability measures with respect to the design variables. In particular, an efficient importance sampling technique is used to estimate the failure probabilities. The number of dynamic analyses as well as reliability estimations required during the optimization process are reduced dramatically. Several example problems are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the suggested approach.     

Component and system reliability-based topology optimization using a single-loop method

We perform reliability-based topology optimization by combining reliability analysis and material distribution topology design methods to design linear elastic structures subject to random inputs, such as random loadings. Both component reliability and system reliability are considered. In component reliability, we satisfy numerous probabilistic constraints which quantify the failure of different events. In system reliability, we satisfy a single probabilistic constraint which encompasses the component events. We adopt the first-order reliability method to approximate the component reliabilities and the inclusion-exclusion rule to approximate the system reliability. To solve the probabilistic optimization problem, we use a variant of the single loop method, which eliminates the need for an inner reliability analysis loop. The proposed method is amenable to implementation with existing deterministic topology optimization software, and hence suitable for practical applications. Designs obtained from component and system reliability-based topology optimization are compared to those obtained from traditional deterministic topology optimization and validated via Monte Carlo simulation.     

Improved hybrid method as a robust tool for reliability-based design optimization

In the engineering problems, the randomness and the uncertainties of the distribution of the structural parameters are a crucial problem. In the case of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO), it is the objective to play a dominant role in the structural optimization problem introducing the reliability concept. The RBDO problem is often formulated as a minimization of the initial structural cost under constraints imposed on the values of elemental reliability indices corresponding to various limit states. The classical RBDO leads to high computing time and weak convergence, but a Hybrid Method (HM) has been proposed to overcome these two drawbacks. As the hybrid method successfully reduces the computing time, we can increase the number of variables by introducing the standard deviations as optimization variables to minimize the error values in the probabilistic model. The efficiency of the hybrid method has been demonstrated on static and dynamic cases with extension to the variability of the probabilistic model. In this paper, we propose a modification on the formulation of the hybrid method to improve the optimal solutions. The proposed method is called, Improved Hybrid Method (IHM). The main benefit of this method is to improve the structure performance by much more minimizing the objective function than the hybrid method. It is also shown to demonstrate the optimality conditions. The improved hybrid method is next applied to two numerical examples, with consideration of the standard deviations as optimization variables (for linear and nonlinear distributions). When integrating the improved hybrid method within the probabilistic model variability, we minimize the objective function more and more.     

Continuum topology optimization with non-probabilistic reliability constraints based on multi-ellipsoid convex model

Using a quantified measure for non-probab ilistic reliability based on the multi-ellipsoid convex model, the topology optimization of continuum structures in presence of uncertain-but-bounded parameters is investigated. The problem is formulated as a double-loop optimization one. The inner loop handles evaluation of the non-probabilistic reliability index, and the outer loop treats the optimum material distribution using the results from the inner loop for checking feasibility of the reliability constraints. For circumventing the numerical difficulties arising from its nested nature, the topology optimization problem with reliability constraints is reformulated into an equivalent one with constraints on the concerned performance. In this context, the adjoint variable schemes for sensitivity analysis with respect to uncertain variables as well as design variables are discussed. The structural optimization problem is then solved by a gradient-based algorithm using the obtained sensitivity. In the present formulation, the uncertain-but bounded uncertain variations of material properties, geometrical dimensions and loading conditions can be realistically accounted for. Numerical investigations illustrate the applicability and the validity of the present problem statement as well as the proposed numerical techniques. The computational results also reveal that non-probabilistic reliability-based topology optimization may yield more reasonable material layouts than conventional deterministic approaches. The proposed method can be regarded as an attractive supplement to the stochastic reliability-based topology optimization.     

Experience with approximate reliability-based optimization methods II: an exhaust system problem

Traditional reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) requires a double-loop iteration process. The inner optimization loop is to find the reliability and the outer is the regular optimization loop to optimize the RBDO problem with reliability objectives or constraints. It is known that the computation can be prohibitive when the associated function evaluation is expensive. This situation is even worse when a large number of reliability constraints are present. As a result, many approximate RBDO methods, which convert the double loop to a single loop, have been developed. In this research, an engineering problem with a large number of constraints (144) is designed to test RBDO methods based on the first-order reliability method (FORM), including single- and double-loop methods. In addition to the number of constraints, this problem possesses many local minimums. Some original authors of the RBDO methods are also asked to solve the same problem. The results and the efficiencies for different methods are published and discussed.     

Extension of optimum safety factor method to nonlinear reliability-based design optimization

In the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) model, the mean values of uncertain system variables are usually applied as design variables, and the cost is optimized subject to prescribed probabilistic constraints as defined by a nonlinear mathematical programming problem. Therefore, a RBDO solution that reduces the structural weight in uncritical regions does not only provide an improved design but also a higher level of confidence in the design. In this paper, we present recent developments for the RBDO model relative to two points of view: reliability and optimization. Next, we develop several distributions for the hybrid method and the optimum safety factor methods (linear and nonlinear RBDO). Finally, we demonstrate the efficiency of our safety factor approach extended to nonlinear RBDO with application to a tri-material structure.     

A sequential approximate programming strategy for reliability-based structural optimization

Although reliability-based structural optimization (RBSO) is recognized as a rational structural design philosophy that is more advantageous to deterministic optimization, most common RBSO is based on straightforward two-level approach connecting algorithms of reliability calculation and that of design optimization. This is achieved usually with an outer loop for optimization of design variables and an inner loop for reliability analysis. A number of algorithms have been proposed to reduce the computational cost of such optimizations, such as performance measure approach, semi-infinite programming, and mono-level approach. Herein the sequential approximate programming approach, which is well known in structural optimization, is extended as an efficient methodology to solve RBSO problems. In this approach, the optimum design is obtained by solving a sequence of sub-programming problems that usually consist of an approximate objective function subjected to a set of approximate constraint functions. In each sub-programming, rather than direct Taylor expansion of reliability constraints, a new formulation is introduced for approximate reliability constraints at the current design point and its linearization. The approximate reliability index and its sensitivity are obtained from a recurrence formula based on the optimality conditions for the most probable failure point (MPP). It is shown that the approximate MPP, a key component of RBSO problems, is concurrently improved during each sub-programming solution step. Through analytical models and comparative studies over complex examples, it is illustrated that our approach is efficient and that a linearized reliability index is a good approximation of the accurate reliability index. These unique features and the concurrent convergence of design optimization and reliability calculation are demonstrated with several numerical examples.     

Optimum values of structural safety factors for a predefined reliability level with extension to multiple limit states

In the field of deterministic structural optimization, the designer reduces the structural cost without taking into account uncertainties concerning materials, geometry and loading. This way, the resulting optimum solution may represent a lower level of reliability and thus a higher risk of failure. It is the objective of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) to design structures that should be both economic and reliable. The coupling between mechanical modeling, reliability analyses and optimization methods leads to very high computational costs and weak convergence stability. Since the traditional RBDO solution is achieved by alternating between reliability and optimization iterations, the structural designers performing deterministic optimization do not consider the RBDO model as a practical tool for the design of real structures. Fortunately, a hybrid method based on simultaneous solution of the reliability and the optimization problem, has successfully reduced the computational time problem. The hybrid method allows us to satisfy a required reliability level, but the vector of variables here contains both deterministic and random variables. The hybrid RBDO problem is thus more complex than that of deterministic design. The major difficulty lies in the evaluation of the structural reliability, which is carried out by a special optimization procedure. In this paper a new methodology is presented with the aim of finding a global solution to RBDO problems without additional computing cost for the reliability evaluation. The safety factor formulation for a single limit state case has been used to efficiently reduce the computational time . This technique is fundamentally based on a study of the sensitivity of the limit state function with respect to the design variables. In order to demonstrate analytically the efficiency of this methodology, the optimality condition is then used. The efficiency of this technique is also extended to multiple limit state cases. Two numerical examples are presented at the end of the paper to demonstrate the applicability of the new methodology.     

Study on discrete optimization techniques in reliability-based optimization of truss structures

The paper deals with application of two optimization techniques to solve mixed (discrete–continuous) reliability-based optimization (RBO) problem of truss structures. The mixed RBO problem is formulated as the minimization of structural volume subjected to the constraints on the values of componental reliability indices determined by FORM approach. The cross-sectional areas of truss bars and coordinates of the specified truss nodes are considered as discrete and continuous design variables, respectively. The specified allowable reliability indices are associated with limit states in the form of the admissible displacements of the chosen truss nodes, admissible stress or local buckling of the elements as well as a global loss of stability. Two optimization techniques, namely: transformation and controlled enumeration methods are employed to solve the optimization problem. The transformation method allows to transform the mixed optimization problem into the continuous one. Two numerical examples: 10 bar planar truss and spatial truss dome are used to illustrate the proposed methodology of solution. Results obtained by both methods are compared and appropriate conclusions are drawn.     

Performance assessment of a multi-objective parametric optimization algorithm with application to a multi-physical engineering system

The original problem of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) is mathematically a nested two-level structure that is computationally time consuming for real engineering problems. In order to overcome the computational difficulties, many formulations have been proposed in the literature. These include SORA (sequential optimization and reliability assessment) that decouples the nested problems. SLA (single loop approach) further improves efficiency in that reliability analysis becomes an integrated part of the optimization problem. However, even SLA method can become computationally challenging for real engineering problems involving many reliability constraints. This paper presents an enhanced version of SLA where the first phase is based on approximation at nominal design point. After convergence of first iterative phase is reached the process transitions to a second phase where approximations of reliability constraints are carried out at their respective minimum performance target point (MPTP). The solution is implemented in Altair OptiStruct, where adaptive approximation and constraint screening strategies are utilized in the RBDO process. Examples show that the proposed two-phase approach leads to reduction in finite element analyses while preserving equal solution quality.     

Reliability-based topology optimization of continuum structures subject to local stress constraints

Topology optimization of continuum structures is a challenging problem to solve, when stress constraints are considered for every finite element in the mesh. Difficulties are compounding in the reliability-based formulation, since a probabilistic problem needs to be solved for each stress constraint. This paper proposes a methodology to solve reliability-based topology optimization problems of continuum domains with stress constraints and uncertainties in magnitude of applied loads considering the whole set of local stress constrains, without using aggregation techniques. Probabilistic constraints are handled via a first-order approach, where the principle of superposition is used to alleviate the computational burden associated with inner optimization problems. Augmented Lagrangian method is used to solve the outer problem, where all stress constraints are included in the augmented Lagrangian function; hence sensitivity analysis may be performed only for the augmented Lagrangian function, instead of for each stress constraint. Two example problems are addressed, for which crisp black and white topologies are obtained. The proposed methodology is shown to be accurate by checking reliability indices of final topologies with Monte Carlo Simulation.     

Experience with approximate reliability-based optimization methods

Traditional reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) requires a double loop iteration process. The inner optimization loop is to find the most probable point (MPP) and the outer is the regular optimization loop to optimize the RBDO problem with reliability objectives or constraints. It is well known that the computation can be prohibitive when the associated function evaluation is expensive. As a result, many approximate RBDO methods, which convert the double loop to a single loop, have been developed. In this work, several approximate RBDO methods are coded, discussed, and tested against a double loop algorithm through four design problems.     

Single-loop system reliability-based topology optimization considering statistical dependence between limit-states

This paper presents a single-loop algorithm for system reliability-based topology optimization (SRBTO) that can account for statistical dependence between multiple limit-states, and its applications to computationally demanding topology optimization (TO) problems. A single-loop reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) algorithm replaces the inner-loop iterations to evaluate probabilistic constraints by a non-iterative approximation. The proposed single-loop SRBTO algorithm accounts for the statistical dependence between the limit-states by using the matrix-based system reliability (MSR) method to compute the system failure probability and its parameter sensitivities. The SRBTO/MSR approach is applicable to general system events including series, parallel, cut-set and link-set systems and provides the gradients of the system failure probability to facilitate gradient-based optimization. In most RBTO applications, probabilistic constraints are evaluated by use of the first-order reliability method for efficiency. In order to improve the accuracy of the reliability calculations for RBDO or RBTO problems with high nonlinearity, we introduce a new single-loop RBDO scheme utilizing the second-order reliability method and implement it to the proposed SRBTO algorithm. Moreover, in order to overcome challenges in applying the proposed algorithm to computationally demanding topology optimization problems, we utilize the multiresolution topology optimization (MTOP) method, which achieves computational efficiency in topology optimization by assigning different levels of resolutions to three meshes representing finite element analysis, design variables and material density distribution respectively. The paper provides numerical examples of two- and three-dimensional topology optimization problems to demonstrate the proposed SRBTO algorithm and its applications. The optimal topologies from deterministic, component and system RBTOs are compared with one another to investigate the impact of optimization schemes on final topologies. Monte Carlo simulations are also performed to verify the accuracy of the failure probabilities computed by the proposed approach.     

An inverse-measure-based unilevel architecture for reliability-based design optimization

Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) is a methodology for finding optimized designs that are characterized with a low probability of failure. Primarily, RBDO consists of optimizing a merit function while satisfying reliability constraints. The reliability constraints are constraints on the probability of failure corresponding to each of the failure modes of the system or a single constraint on the system probability of failure. The probability of failure is usually estimated by performing a reliability analysis. During the last few years, a variety of different formulations have been developed for RBDO. Traditionally, these have been formulated as a double-loop (nested) optimization problem. The upper level optimization loop generally involves optimizing a merit function subject to reliability constraints, and the lower level optimization loop(s) compute(s) the probabilities of failure corresponding to the failure mode(s) that govern(s) the system failure. This formulation is, by nature, computationally intensive. Researchers have provided sequential strategies to address this issue, where the deterministic optimization and reliability analysis are decoupled, and the process is performed iteratively until convergence is achieved. These methods, though attractive in terms of obtaining a workable reliable design at considerably reduced computational costs, often lead to premature convergence and therefore yield spurious optimal designs. In this paper, a novel unilevel formulation for RBDO is developed. In the proposed formulation, the lower level optimization (evaluation of reliability constraints in the double-loop formulation) is replaced by its corresponding first-order Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) necessary optimality conditions at the upper level optimization. Such a replacement is computationally equivalent to solving the original nested optimization if the lower level optimization problem is solved by numerically satisfying the KKT conditions (which is typically the case). It is shown through the use of test problems that the proposed formulation is numerically robust (stable) and computationally efficient compared to the existing approaches for RBDO.     

A direct decoupling approach for efficient reliability-based design optimization

This paper develops an efficient methodology to perform reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) by decoupling the optimization and reliability analysis iterations that are nested in traditional formulations. This is achieved by approximating the reliability constraints based on the reliability analysis results. The proposed approach does not use inverse first-order reliability analysis as other existing decoupled approaches, but uses direct reliability analysis. This strategy allows a modular approach and the use of more accurate methods, including Monte-Carlo-simulation (MCS)-based methods for highly nonlinear reliability constraints where first-order reliability approximation may not be accurate. The use of simulation-based methods also enables system-level reliability estimates to be included in the RBDO formulation. The efficiency of the proposed RBDO approach is further improved by identifying the potentially active reliability constraints at the beginning of each reliability analysis. A vehicle side impact problem is used to examine the proposed method, and the results show the usefulness of the proposed method.     

Fundamentals of optimization

The structural design problem is formulated as a general nonlinear optimization problem with constraints. Characteristics of such problems and the solutions are discussed. Methods of solution for constrained as well as unconstrained problems are reviewed, with special emphasis on penalty function methods for constrained problems. A simple example on the solution of a design problem with discrete variables is shown, and a realistic example on the application of optimization methods in midship section design of OBO-carriers is presented.     

Comparison of global and local response surface techniques in reliability-based optimization of composite structures

This paper discusses the development and application of two alternative strategies, in the form of global and sequential local response surface (RS) techniques, for the solution of reliability-based optimization (RBO) problems. The problem of a thin-walled composite circular cylinder under axial buckling instability is used as a demonstrative example. In this case, the global technique uses a single second-order RS model to estimate the axial buckling load over the entire feasible design space (FDS), whereas the local technique uses multiple first-order RS models, with each applied to a small subregion of the FDS. Alternative methods for the calculation of unknown coefficients in each RS model are explored prior to the solution of the optimization problem. The example RBO problem is formulated as a function of 23 uncorrelated random variables that include material properties, the thickness and orientation angle of each ply, the diameter and length of the cylinder, as well as the applied load. The mean values of the 8 ply thicknesses are treated as independent design variables. While the coefficients of variation of all random variables are held fixed, the standard deviations of the ply thicknesses can vary during the optimization process as a result of changes in the design variables. The structural reliability analysis is based on the first-order reliability method with the reliability index treated as the design constraint. In addition to the probabilistic sensitivity analysis of the reliability index, the results of the RBO problem are presented for different combinations of cylinder length and diameter and laminate ply patterns. The two strategies are found to produce similar results in terms of accuracy, with the sequential local RS technique having a considerably better computational efficiency.     

An approximate sequential optimization and reliability assessment method for reliability-based design optimization

Sequential optimization and reliability assessment (SORA) is one of the most popular decoupled approaches to solve reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) problem because of its efficiency and robustness. In SORA, the double loop structure is decoupled through a serial of cycles of deterministic optimization and reliability assessment. In each cycle, the deterministic optimization and reliability assessment are performed sequentially and the boundaries of violated constraints are shifted to the feasible direction according to the reliability information obtained in the previous cycle. In this paper, based on the concept of SORA, approximate most probable target point (MPTP) and approximate probabilistic performance measure (PPM) are adopted in reliability assessment. In each cycle, the approximate MPTP needs to be reserved, which will be used to obtain new approximate MPTP in the next cycle. There is no need to evaluate the performance function in the deterministic optimization since the approximate PPM and its sensitivity are used to formulate the linear Taylor expansion of the constraint function. One example is used to illustrate that the approximate MPTP will approach the accurate MPTP with the iteration. The design variables and the approximate MPTP converge simultaneously. Numerical results of several examples indicate the proposed method is robust and more efficient than SORA and other common RBDO methods.