考虑状态模糊性时广义失效概率计算的矩方法

针对失效状态和安全状态具有模糊性的广义可靠性分析问题,提出了一种广义失效概率计算的矩方法。所提方法首先将广义失效概率的积分区域依据功能函数的取值离散化,在离散化的积分区域中,极限状态函数对模糊失效域的隶属函数近似保持为常数,从而将模糊可靠性问题转化为一般的随机可靠性问题,进而可以利用近似的矩方法求得广义失效概率。该文给出了所提方法的实现步骤和原理,算例结果表明所提方法对于中低维问题具有很高的精度和效率。     

求解约束优化问题的改进布谷鸟搜索算法

为了提高约束优化问题的求解精度和收敛速度,提出求解约束优化问题的改进布谷鸟搜索算法。首先分析了基本布谷鸟搜索算法全局搜索和局部搜索过程中的不足,对其中全局搜索和局部搜索迭代公式进行重新定义,然后以一定概率在最优解附近进行搜索。对12个标准约束优化问题和4个工程约束优化问题进行测试并与多种算法进行对比,实验结果和统计分析表明所提算法在求解约束优化问题上具有较强的优越性。     

基于自适应混合近似模型的顶置武器站多柔体系统动力学优化研究

针对顶置武器站结构优化设计存在计算量大、优化效率低等问题,提出一种基于自适应混合近似模型的优化策略,引入分层设计空间缩减思想,在优化迭代过程中依次在构造的全局空间、聚类空间和重点空间内选取样本点更新混合近似模型,以同时提高模型的全局和局部预测能力。使用典型测试函数算例和某顶置武器站结构动力优化实例,验证了所提优化策略的有效性。顶置武器站结构动力优化结果表明:使用该方法获得的武器站炮口扰动目标函数减小了58.3%,各炮口扰动参数得到有效改善;与静态近似模型方法相比,该方法所得的炮口扰动目标函数优化结果降低了14.5%,所需调用武器站分析计算模型次数减少了47.4%。     

基于概率-凸集混合模型的汽车正面碰撞结构可靠性优化设计

本文基于概率和凸集模型研究汽车正面碰撞可靠性优化设计问题。根据汽车吸能结构厚度、材料参数等不确定参数类型,分别采用概率和多椭球凸模型进行描述,以汽车正面碰撞安全性可靠性指标为约束,考虑汽车吸能结构质量为优化目标,建立了一种基于混合模型的可靠性优化设计模型。采用拉丁方试验设计构造了目标函数和约束函数的Kriging近似模型,利用功能度量法求解可靠度指标值,通过基于移动因子序列优化与可靠性评定将嵌套优化解耦为单层次优化。实际算例表明算法具有较高的计算效率及精度,对实际设计工作有一定参考价值。     

基于Epsilon算法的不确定性结构二阶区间优化方法

该文提出一种求解不确定性结构模态的二阶区间优化算法,首先应用拉格朗日乘子法将带有约束条件的模态优化问题转化为非约束优化,再用区间扩展的二阶泰勒展开式近似表述不确定性结构的模态区间函数。由于其二阶常数项(海森矩阵)的计算十分繁琐,这里采用DFP方法(Davidon and Fletcher-Powell method)近似迭代计算该常数项,同时计算满足约束条件和优化目标的结构参数和参数不确定性区间。在结构重分析中采用Epsilon算法,从而在保证计算精度的同时节省了计算时间。通过算例计算进一步证明该方法对于板壳加筋不确定结构的优化是有效的。     

非正态变量情况下基于杂交SAPSO-SFLA的多目标稳健协同优化

为解决非正态变量空间中复杂多变的隐式非线性功能函数的可靠性及灵敏度的问题,融合鞍点估计与线抽样法的优点,结合二分法的特点与黄金分割法的求解效率,提出基于黄金分割二分法的鞍点线抽样法,即可沿重要线抽样方向利用黄金分割点的二分法快速找到各样本点对应于功能函数的零点,将结构失效概率转化为一系列线性功能函数失效概率的平均值,求出相关变量的可靠性灵敏度,从而导出失效概率对变量均值与方差的可靠性灵敏度及结构轻量化的多目标优化问题,并阐明了多目标协同优化的思想。同时,针对可靠性灵敏度作为目标函数因误差导致多目标协同优化难以收敛的问题,提出了利用误差的思想与方法;为提高算法的收敛性,对粒子群优化(Particle Swarm Optimization,PSO)算法与混合蛙跳算法(Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm,SFLA)进行改进以后,再将两者进行杂交,提出杂交自适应粒子群优化-混合蛙跳算法(Self-Adaptive PSO-SFLA,SAPSO-SFLA),并用来求解上述多目标优化问题。算例表明:1) 基于黄金分割二分法的鞍点线抽样法在求解复杂非线性功能函数的可靠性及灵敏度时精度高,速度快;2) 与粒子群优化和混合蛙跳算法相比,所提杂交SAPSO-SFLA不仅具有更快的收敛速度,其鲁棒性还能使盾构行星减速器箱体体积减小8.42%。     

基于混沌粒子群算法的冰箱压缩机隔振优化设计

冰箱压缩机隔振系统的参数寻优问题关系到隔振成败,传统参数优化设计存在容易陷入局部最优和迭代发散问题。针对该问题建立压缩机4 点隔振的动力学模型,提出以隔振系统的6 自由度能量最大程度解耦为优化目、以4 点支撑的各向刚度为设计参数的系统频率离散分配优化方法,首次采用基于罚函数约束的混沌粒子群算法进行隔振参数寻优求解。结果表明,优化后隔振系统固有频率分配更加合理,主要方向解耦率得到显著提高。混沌粒子群算法克服传统序列二次规划法容易陷入局部最优的缺点,所得系统隔振效果优良,相对于遗传算法优化结果解耦程度更高。动力学仿真分析验证所提优化方法的合理性和有效性。     

多目标快速群搜索优化算法及在模型修正中的应用

为解决群搜索算法在求解多目标优化问题时易陷于局部最优或过早收敛,限制其在复杂结构模型修正中的应用问题,提出改进的群搜索优化算法-多目标快速群搜索优化算法(MQGSO)。采用LPS搜索方法对发现者进行迭代更新,能使发现者更快到达最优位置,提升寻优效率;对追随者增加速度更新机制,考虑其自身历史最优信息以保证收敛精度,并在算法后期采用交叉变异策略增加追随者个体多样性,避免陷入局部最优;在游荡者迭代更新中引入分量变异控制策略,增加其搜索的随机性,提高算法的全局寻优性能。通过7个典型多目标优化测试函数及某发射台有限元模型修正实例,对算法性能进行验证分析。结果表明,与已有MPSO(Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization)及MBFO(Multi-objective Bacterial Foraging Optimization)两种算法相比,所提MQGSO算法搜索性能更强、收敛速度更快、计算精度更高,不失为求解复杂多目标优化问题的有效方法。     

钢筋混凝土结构的应力拓扑优化方法研究

基于预测混凝土失效行为的Drucker-Prager(D-P)屈服准则,研究了进行钢筋混凝土结构配筋设计的应力拓扑优化方法。结合扩展的双材料密度惩罚模型,优化问题构造为以单元人工密度为设计变量、混凝土材料Drucker-Prager屈服函数为约束条件的钢筋用量最小化问题。为合理定义混凝土应力并防止应力奇异解现象,采用局部应力插值模型和ε-松弛方法对混凝土应力约束条件进行处理。推导约束函数的伴随法灵敏度计算公式,运用基于梯度的连续性优化算法求解优化问题。数值算例验证了所提优化模型的正确性及数值算法的有效性,并通过与传统最小柔顺性拓扑优化结果的比较,说明了该文方法能够充分利用混凝土的抗压能力和钢筋的抗拉能力,设计结果更为实用。     

基于Kriging代理模型的多点加点序列优化方法

基于Kriging 代理模型提出了一种同时考虑预测响应值及其不确定性的多点加点准则,并基于该准则发展了一套序列近似优化方法。多点加点准则基于初始样本信息和所预测的对象函数特征增加新样本集,以在寻优迭代过程中自适应地提高代理模型的精度。该文方法依据多点加点准则在一次迭代中增加多个空间无关的新样本点,适用于多机同时计算或并行计算,从而提高计算效率。以两个经典的数学函数为例,将该优化方法与期望提高准则方法进行了比较,结果表明该文提出的优化方法能够有效地提高最优解的全局性。将方法用于一盒式注塑件的成型工艺优化设计,优化结果也表明了该方法的有效性。     

An accurate penalty-based approach for reliability-based design optimization

A typical reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) problem is usually formulated as a stochastic optimization model where the performance of a system is optimized with the reliability requirements being satisfied. Most existing RBDO methods divide the problem into two sub-problems: one relates to reliability analysis, the other relates to optimization. Traditional approaches nest the two sub-problems with the reliability analysis as the inner loop and the optimization as the outer loop. Such nested approaches face the challenge of prohibitive computational expense that drives recent research focusing on decoupling the two loops or even fundamentally transforming the two-loop structure into one deterministic optimization problem. While promising, the potential issue in these computationally efficient approaches is the lowered accuracy. In this paper, a new decoupled approach, which performs the two loops sequentially, is proposed. First, a deterministic optimization problem is solved to locate the means of the uncertain design variables. After the mean values are determined, the reliability analysis is performed. A new deterministic optimization problem is then restructured with a penalty added to each limit-state function to improve the solution iteratively. Most existing research on decoupled approaches linearizes the limit-state functions or introduces the penalty into the limit-state functions, which may suffer the approximation error. In this research, the penalty term is introduced to change the right hand side (RHS) value of the deterministic constraints. Without linearizing or transforming the formulations of limit-state function, this penalty-based approach effectively improves the accuracy of RBDO. Comparison experiments are conducted to illustrate how the proposed method obtains improved solutions with acceptable computational cost when compared to other RBDO approaches collected from literature.     

Reliability-based design optimization using a generalized subset simulation method and posterior approximation

The evaluation of the probabilistic constraints in reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) problems has always been significant and challenging work, which strongly affects the performance of RBDO methods. This article deals with RBDO problems using a recently developed generalized subset simulation (GSS) method and a posterior approximation approach. The posterior approximation approach is used to transform all the probabilistic constraints into ordinary constraints as in deterministic optimization. The assessment of multiple failure probabilities required by the posterior approximation approach is achieved by GSS in a single run at all supporting points, which are selected by a proper experimental design scheme combining Sobol’ sequences and Bucher’s design. Sequentially, the transformed deterministic design optimization problem can be solved by optimization algorithms, for example, the sequential quadratic programming method. Three optimization problems are used to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method.     

Reliability-based design optimization with frequency constraints using a new safest point approach

In the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) model, the mean values of uncertain 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, an RBDO solution that reduces the structural weight in non-critical regions provides not only an improved design, but also a higher level of confidence in the design. Solving such nested optimization problems is extremely expensive for large-scale multidisciplinary systems that are likewise computationally intensive. This article focuses on the study of a particular problem representing the failure mode of structural vibration analysis. A new method is proposed, called safest point, that can efficiently give the reliability-based optimum solution under frequency constraints, and then several probability distributions are developed, which are mathematically nonlinear functions, for the proposed method. Finally, the efficiency of the extended approach is demonstrated for probability distributions such as log-normal and uniform distributions, and its applicability to the design of structures undergoing fluid–structure interaction phenomena, especially the design process of aeroelastic structures, is also demonstrated.     

A multiple-design-point approach for reliability-based design optimization

The application of design-point-based reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) methods is hindered by the challenge of multiple-design-point problems. In this article, to improve the commonality of design-point-based RBDO methods, a novel multiple-design-point (MDP) approach is developed. The MDP approach uses the trace of the design points from consequent reliability analysis iterations to identify whether there are multiple design points, then all of the design points are used to calculate shifting vectors for the sequential optimization and reliability assessment method, and the corresponding probabilistic constraints are moved to the feasible region along these multiple shifting vectors at the same time. With multiple shifted probabilistic constraints, the design feasibility associated with this probabilistic constraint will be satisfied. Two mathematical examples, a speed reducer design and a honeycomb crashworthiness design, are presented to validate the effectiveness of the MDP method. The results show that the MDP approach is effective for handling multiple-design-point problems.     

Reliability-based design optimization of a car body using dimension- reduced Chebyshev polynomial

A reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) method of a car body is presented on basis of dimension-reduced Chebyshev polynomial method (DCM). To improve calculation efficiency and save computational time, complex models are often approximated by metamodels in reliability analysis. Traditional metamodels require a large number of sample points, which is time-consuming. To improve the efficiency, DCM is proposed to approximate the performance function of the car body. First, the performance function is decomposed by the dimension-reduction method into a sum of univariate functions, which are then fitted through Chebyshev polynomials. The reliability of the car body is predicted by the Taylor expansion method and the fourth-moment method. Finally, the result of RBDO is obtained using an improved adaptive genetic algorithm. The proposed method saves on the calculation time with high precision. Besides, the improved adaptive genetic algorithm reduces the number of iterations in the car body optimization and improves the efficiency.     

Reliability-based design optimization with progressive surrogate models

Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) has traditionally been solved as a nested (bilevel) optimization problem, which is a computationally expensive approach. Unilevel and decoupled approaches for solving the RBDO problem have also been suggested in the past to improve the computational efficiency. However, these approaches also require a large number of response evaluations during optimization. To alleviate the computational burden, surrogate models have been used for reliability evaluation. These approaches involve construction of surrogate models for the reliability computation at each point visited by the optimizer in the design variable space. In this article, a novel approach to solving the RBDO problem is proposed based on a progressive sensitivity surrogate model. The sensitivity surrogate models are built in the design variable space outside the optimization loop using the kriging method or the moving least squares (MLS) method based on sample points generated from low-discrepancy sampling (LDS) to estimate the most probable point of failure (MPP). During the iterative deterministic optimization, the MPP is estimated from the surrogate model for each design point visited by the optimizer. The surrogate sensitivity model is also progressively updated for each new iteration of deterministic optimization by adding new points and their responses. Four example problems are presented showing the relative merits of the kriging and MLS approaches and the overall accuracy and improved efficiency of the proposed approach.     

A global single-loop deterministic approach for reliability-based design optimization of truss structures with continuous and discrete design variables

A single-loop deterministic method (SLDM) has previously been proposed for solving reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) problems. In SLDM, probabilistic constraints are converted to approximate deterministic constraints. Consequently, RBDO problems can be transformed into approximate deterministic optimization problems, and hence the computational cost of solving such problems is reduced significantly. However, SLDM is limited to continuous design variables, and the obtained solutions are often trapped into local extrema. To overcome these two disadvantages, a global single-loop deterministic approach is developed in this article, and then it is applied to solve the RBDO problems of truss structures with both continuous and discrete design variables. The proposed approach is a combination of SLDM and improved differential evolution (IDE). The IDE algorithm is an improved version of the original differential evolution (DE) algorithm with two improvements: a roulette wheel selection with stochastic acceptance and an elitist selection technique. These improvements are applied to the mutation and selection phases of DE to enhance its convergence rate and accuracy. To demonstrate the reliability, efficiency and applicability of the proposed method, three numerical examples are executed, and the obtained results are compared with those available in the literature.     

Enhanced similarity-based metamodel updating strategy for reliability-based design optimization

Metamodels are becoming increasingly popular for handling large-scale optimization problems in product development. Metamodel-based reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) helps to improve the computational efficiency and reliability of optimal design. However, a metamodel in engineering applications is an approximation of a high-fidelity computer-aided engineering model and it frequently suffers from a significant loss of predictive accuracy. This issue must be appropriately addressed before the metamodels are ready to be applied in RBDO. In this article, an enhanced strategy with metamodel selection and bias correction is proposed to improve the predictive capability of metamodels. A similarity-based assessment for metamodel selection (SAMS) is derived from the cross-validation and similarity theories. The selected metamodel is then improved by Bayesian inference-based bias correction. The proposed strategy is illustrated through an analytical example and further demonstrated with a lightweight vehicle design problem. The results show its potential in handling real-world engineering problems.     

Post optimization for accurate and efficient reliability‐based design optimization using second‐order reliability method based on importance sampling and its stochastic sensitivity analysis

In this study, a post optimization technique for a correction of inaccurate optimum obtained using first‐order reliability method (FORM) is proposed for accurate reliability‐based design optimization (RBDO). In the proposed method, RBDO using FORM is first performed, and then the proposed second‐order reliability method (SORM) is performed at the optimum obtained using FORM for more accurate reliability assessment and its sensitivity analysis. In the proposed SORM, the Hessian of a performance function is approximated by reusing derivatives information accumulated during previous RBDO iterations using FORM, indicating that additional functional evaluations are not required in the proposed SORM. The proposed SORM calculates a probability of failure and its first‐order and second‐order stochastic sensitivity by applying the importance sampling to a complete second‐order Taylor series of the performance function. The proposed post optimization constructs a second‐order Taylor expansion of the probability of failure using results of the proposed SORM. Because the constructed Taylor expansion is based on the reliability method more accurate than FORM, the corrected optimum using this Taylor expansion can satisfy the target reliability more accurately. In this way, the proposed method simultaneously achieves both efficiency of FORM and accuracy of SORM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An integrated reliability-based design optimization of offshore towers

After recognizing the uncertainty in the parameters such as material, loading, geometry and so on in contrast with the conventional optimization, the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) concept has become more meaningful to perform an economical design implementation, which includes a reliability analysis and an optimization algorithm. RBDO procedures include structural analysis, reliability analysis and sensitivity analysis both for optimization and for reliability. The efficiency of the RBDO system depends on the mentioned numerical algorithms. In this work, an integrated algorithms system is proposed to implement the RBDO of the offshore towers, which are subjected to the extreme wave loading. The numerical strategies interacting with each other to fulfill the RBDO of towers are as follows: (a) a structural analysis program, SAPOS, (b) an optimization program, SQP and (c) a reliability analysis program based on FORM. A demonstration of an example tripod tower under the reliability constraints based on limit states of the critical stress, buckling and the natural frequency is presented.