Implementation of set-based design in multidisciplinary design optimization

Set-based design is a design approach where feasible regions for the design variables are determined from different disciplines, with the goal of locating and working with the areas of feasible overlap. During the process the constraints are adjusted in order to accommodate conflicting requirements between disciplines. The main objective of set-based design is to narrow the design space, while delaying the pursuit of a single point design as much as possible. This process avoids finalizing decisions early and allows for flexibility in dealing with requirement creep. This paper presents the development and application of a new multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) algorithm inspired by the principles of set-based design. The new MDO algorithm was developed with the core concept of describing the design using sets to incorporate features of set-based design and achieve greater flexibility than with a single-point optimization. The MDO algorithm was applied to a ship design problem and the ship design application demonstrated the value of utilizing set-based design as a space-reducing technique before approaching the problem with a point-based optimization. Furthermore, incorporating flexibility in the constraints allowed the optimization to handle a problem with very strict constraints in a rational manner and minimize the necessary constraint violation.