MSc by Research in Energy Efficient Aerospace and Automotive Structures - Multidisciplinary Optimisation

University of Leeds

Optimisation is a methodology, which allows any performance measure of a process or a product to be maximised or minimised, allowing any resources required to be efficiently used with minimal impact on the environment. Multidisciplinary optimisation is a methodology which uses the interdisciplinary interactions of the applications of a structure, component, system, process or design in order to improve its overall performance. If performance evaluation of the object/process requires significant computing time, it is necessary to develop and use metamodels. They allow the complex behaviour of the system to be represented with simpler, computationally inexpensive and relatively noise free models obtained, for example, by Genetic Programming, Moving Least Squares Method or based on the interaction of low- and high-fidelity simulation models. Different optimisation techniques including evolutionary algorithms and gradient-based methods can then be used to find the optimum on these metamodels. Such models are also applicable for stochastic analysis and optimisation, where for example a large Monte Carlo simulation can be performed to assess reliability and robustness of a system or a process.