Modelling topology optimization problems as linear mixed 0–1 programs

This paper deals with topology optimization of discretized continuum structures. It is shown that a large class of non‐linear 0–1 topology optimization problems, including stress‐ and displacement‐constrained minimum weight problems, can equivalently be modelled as linear mixed 0–1 programs. The modelling approach is applied to some test problems which are solved to global optimality. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three algorithms for bicriteria integer linear programs

A problem in multiobjective programming is to determine all efficient solutions. As a first approach we present a basic algorithm where only one of the objective functions is minimized and the second objective function is taken as a restriction. In the next algorithm the maximum of both objective functions is minimized. In the third algorithm this minimax function is replaced by a continuous quadratic objective function.     

A mixed integer programming for robust truss topology optimization with stress constraints

This paper presents a mixed integer programming (MIP) formulation for robust topology optimization of trusses subjected to the stress constraints under the uncertain load. A design‐dependent uncertainty model of the external load is proposed for dealing with the variation of truss topology in the course of optimization. For a truss with the discrete member cross‐sectional areas, it is shown that the robust topology optimization problem can be reduced to an MIP problem, which is solved globally. Numerical examples illustrate that the robust optimal topology of a truss depends on the magnitude of uncertainty. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimizing communication satellites payload configuration with exact approaches

The satellite communications market is competitive and rapidly evolving. The payload, which is in charge of applying frequency conversion and amplification to the signals received from Earth before their retransmission, is made of various components. These include reconfigurable switches that permit the re-routing of signals based on market demand or because of some hardware failure. In order to meet modern requirements, the size and the complexity of current communication payloads are increasing significantly. Consequently, the optimal payload configuration, which was previously done manually by the engineers with the use of computerized schematics, is now becoming a difficult and time consuming task. Efficient optimization techniques are therefore required to find the optimal set(s) of switch positions to optimize some operational objective(s). In order to tackle this challenging problem for the satellite industry, this work proposes two Integer Linear Programming (ILP) models. The first one is single-objective and focuses on the minimization of the length of the longest channel path, while the second one is bi-objective and additionally aims at minimizing the number of switch changes in the payload switch matrix. Experiments are conducted on a large set of instances of realistic payload sizes using the CPLEX^® solver and two well-known exact multi-objective algorithms. Numerical results demonstrate the efficiency and limitations of the ILP approach on this real-world problem.     

空间桁架结构拓扑优化设计的线性规划方法

本文以杆件内力为设计变量,构造了多工况作用下空间桁架结构拓扑优化的线性规划模型,考虑了应力和位移约束,能够避免奇异最优拓扑和不稳定结构的产生。     

A hierarchical method for discrete structural topology design problems with local stress and displacement constraints

In this paper, we present a hierarchical optimization method for finding feasible true 0–1 solutions to finite‐element‐based topology design problems. The topology design problems are initially modelled as non‐convex mixed 0–1 programs. The hierarchical optimization method is applied to the problem of minimizing the weight of a structure subject to displacement and local design‐dependent stress constraints. The method iteratively treats a sequence of problems of increasing size of the same type as the original problem. The problems are defined on a design mesh which is initially coarse and then successively refined as needed. At each level of design mesh refinement, a neighbourhood optimization method is used to treat the problem considered. The non‐convex topology design problems are equivalently reformulated as convex all‐quadratic mixed 0–1 programs. This reformulation enables the use of methods from global optimization, which have only recently become available, for solving the problems in the sequence. Numerical examples of topology design problems of continuum structures with local stress and displacement constraints are presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A hybrid heuristic for the multiple choice multidimensional knapsack problem

In this article, a new solution approach for the multiple choice multidimensional knapsack problem is described. The problem is a variant of the multidimensional knapsack problem where items are divided into classes, and exactly one item per class has to be chosen. Both problems are NP-hard. However, the multiple choice multidimensional knapsack problem appears to be more difficult to solve in part because of its choice constraints. Many real applications lead to very large scale multiple choice multidimensional knapsack problems that can hardly be addressed using exact algorithms. A new hybrid heuristic is proposed that embeds several new procedures for this problem. The approach is based on the resolution of linear programming relaxations of the problem and reduced problems that are obtained by fixing some variables of the problem. The solutions of these problems are used to update the global lower and upper bounds for the optimal solution value. A new strategy for defining the reduced problems is explored, together with a new family of cuts and a reformulation procedure that is used at each iteration to improve the performance of the heuristic. An extensive set of computational experiments is reported for benchmark instances from the literature and for a large set of hard instances generated randomly. The results show that the approach outperforms other state-of-the-art methods described so far, providing the best known solution for a significant number of benchmark instances.     

Global optimization of minimum weight truss topology problems with stress,displacement, and local buckling constraints using branch‐and‐bound

We present a convergent continuous branch‐and‐bound algorithm for global optimization of minimum weight truss topology problems with displacement, stress, and local buckling constraints. Valid inequalities which strengthen the problem formulation are derived. The inequalities are generated by solving well‐defined convex optimization problems. Computational results are reported on a large collection of problems taken from the literature. Most of these problems are, for the first time, solved with a proof of global optimality. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

多工况应力约束下的拓扑优化格栅

提出一种多工况应力约束下格栅结构的拓扑优化方法。优化目标结构是由无限细无限密的梁(或肋)构成的类格栅连续体(或加肋板)。采用正交异性增强复合材料模型模拟该类格栅连续体(或加肋板)的本构关系。以梁在结点处的密度和方向作为设计变量。根据有限元分析结果,采用满应力准则法优化各单工况下材料分布。按照多工况下材料的方向刚度与各单工况下材料的方向刚度最大值的差值最小为原则建立多工况下梁(或肋)的拓扑优化分布。经过少量迭代就可以建立优化的材料连续分布场。最后以3个算例演示拓扑优化的过程,并给出结点处梁的密度和方向分布。     

基频约束下的桁架结构半定规划法拓扑优化

大型复杂结构出现重频时该频点处不具有通常意义下的导数信息,基于灵敏度分析的优化算法遇到很大困难。若优化模型存在平衡方程等式约束,则为非凸优化,很难找到全局最优解。对此该文以桁架结构为研究对象,采用半定规划法建立了以结构系统体积和基频为约束,以柔度最小为目标的凸优化模型。通过将柔度和基频构造成半定矩阵的形式,将传统优化模型转化为半定规划模型。该模型将杆件横截面积和柔度均视为优化变量,模型的特点是在求解过程中不必计算特征值的灵敏度,对有无重频问题均适用。数值算例表明采用半定规划法处理重频优化问题是正确可行的。     

A Stochastic Integer Programming Model for Incorporating Day-Ahead Trading of Electricity into Hydro-Thermal Unit Commitment

We develop a two-stage stochastic integer programming model for the simultaneous optimization of power production and day-ahead power trading in a hydro-thermal system. The model rests on mixed-integer linear formulations for the unit commitment problem and for the price clearing mechanism at the power exchange. Foreign bids enter as random components into the model. We solve the stochastic integer program by a decomposition method combining Lagrangian relaxation of nonanticipativity with branch-and-bound in the spirit of global optimization. Finally, we report some first computational experiences.     

Topology optimization of continuum structures with local stress constraints

We introduce an extension of current technologies for topology optimization of continuum structures which allows for treating local stress criteria. We first consider relevant stress criteria for porous composite materials, initially by studying the stress states of the so-called rank 2 layered materials. Then, on the basis of the theoretical study of the rank 2 microstructures, we propose an empirical model that extends the power penalized stiffness model (also called SIMP for Solid Isotropic Microstructure with Penalization for inter-mediate densities). In a second part, solution aspects of topology problems are considered. To deal with the so-called ‘singularity’ phenomenon of stress constraints in topology design, an ϵ-constraint relaxation of the stress constraints is used. We describe the mathematical programming approach that is used to solve the numerical optimization problems, and show results for a number of example applications. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A NUMERICAL PROCEDURE FOR SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN GEOMETRIC PROGRAMMING

This paper presents a development of sensitivity analysis (post optimal) for non-linear optimization problems. The basis for this development is the optimization technique known as geometric programming. Efficient procedures are developed which relate changes in the coefficients to the new design variables. The procedure is used to analyze the design of a condenser.     

位移约束刚架拓扑优化的非线性有无复合体方法

为了提高基于物理模型的结构拓扑优化的寻优效率, 该文提出了非线性有无复合体, 以刚架结构在位移约束下的拓扑优化为例, 进行了结构重量目标函数极小化的数学模型建立和程序实现。与线性有无复合体不同, 非线性有无复合体是无限多个无穷小的“有单元”和“无单元”各自长度的非线性组合。由于每个梁单元“有”单元长度和“无”单元长度之和的不变性, 其拓扑变量可以用“有”单元的总长度予以表达。推导了结构重量、位移约束同结构拓扑变量的显式函数, 建立了优化模型。使用线性规划算法求解了相应的优化模型, 算例表明, 该文方法的寻优效率得到了提高。同作为数学变换的ICM(独立、连续和映射)方法比较, 该文提出的作为物理模型的方法, 二者在解决结构拓扑优化上具有异曲同工之效：后者的“有”单元长度的非线性关系替代了前者的单元重量、位移约束中的过滤函数。数学变换方法与物理模型方法的异同点更是耐人寻味。 方法     

Applying multiple objective tabu search to continuous optimization problems with a simple neighbourhood strategy

One of the first multiple objective versions of the tabu search (TS) algorithm is proposed by the author. The idea of applying TS to multiple objective optimization is inspired from its solution structure. TS works with more than one solution (neighbourhood solutions) at a time and this situation gives the opportunity to evaluate multiple objectives simultaneously in one run. The selection and updating stages are modified to enable the original TS algorithm to work with more than one objective. In this paper, the multiple objective tabu search (MOTS) algorithm is applied to multiple objective non‐linear optimization problems with continuous variables using a simple neighbourhood strategy. The algorithm is applied to four mechanical components design problems. The results are compared with several other solution techniques including multiple objective genetic algorithms. It is observed that MOTS is able to find better and much wider spread of solutions than the reported ones. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the reformulation of topology optimization problems as linear or convex quadratic mixed 0–1 programs

We consider equivalent reformulations of nonlinear mixed 0–1 optimization problems arising from a broad range of recent applications of topology optimization for the design of continuum structures and composite materials. We show that the considered problems can equivalently be cast as either linear or convex quadratic mixed 0–1 programs. The reformulations provide new insight into the structure of the problems and may provide a foundation for the development of new methods and heuristics for solving topology optimization problems. The applications considered are maximum stiffness design of structures subjected to static or periodic loads, design of composite materials with prescribed homogenized properties using the inverse homogenization approach, optimization of fluids in Stokes flow, design of band gap structures, and multi-physics problems involving coupled steady-state heat conduction and linear elasticity. Several numerical examples of maximum stiffness design of truss structures are presented. The research is funded by the Danish Natural Science Research Council and the Danish Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences.     

Slope constrained topology optimization

The problem of minimum compliance topology optimization of an elastic continuum is considered. A general continuous density–energy relation is assumed, including variable thickness sheet models and artificial power laws. To ensure existence of solutions, the design set is restricted by enforcing pointwise bounds on the density slopes. A finite element discretization procedure is described, and a proof of convergence of finite element solutions to exact solutions is given, as well as numerical examples obtained by a continuation/SLP (sequential linear programming) method. The convergence proof implies that checkerboard patterns and other numerical anomalies will not be present, or at least, that they can be made arbitrarily weak. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.