• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.465-476
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• 2018

In this paper, a new meta-heuristic optimization method is presented. This new method is named "Numbers Cup Optimization" (NCO). The NCO algorithm is inspired by the sport competitions. In this method, the objective function and the design variables are defined as the team and the team members, respectively. Similar to all cups, teams are arranged in groups and the competitions are performed in each group, separately. The best team in each group is determined by the minimum or maximum value of the objective function. The best teams would be allowed to the next round of the cup, by accomplishing minor changes. These teams get grouped again. This process continues until two teams arrive the final and the champion of the Numbers Cup would be identified. In this algorithm, the next cups (same iterations) will be repeated by the improvement of players' performance. To illustrate the capabilities of the proposed method, some standard functions were selected to optimize. Also, size optimization of three benchmark trusses is performed to test the efficiency of the NCO approach. The results obtained from this study, well illustrate the ability of the NCO in solving the optimization problems.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.1130-1135
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• 2003

The need to increase the reliability of a structural system has been significantly brought in the procedure of real designs to consider, for instance, the material properties or geometric dimensions that reveal a random or incompletely known nature. Reliability based design optimization of a real system now becomes an emerging technique to achieve reliability, robustness and safety of these problems. Finite element analysis program and the reliability analysis program are necessary to evaluate the responses and the probabilities of failure of the system, respectively. Moreover, integration of these programs is required during the procedure of reliability based design optimization. It is well known that reliability based design optimization can often have so many local minima that it cannot converge to the specified probability of failure. To overcome this problem, barrier function method in reliability based design optimization is suggested. To illustrate the proposed formulation, reliability based design optimization of a bracket is performed. AMV and FORM are employed for reliability analysis and their optimization results are compared based on the accuracy and efficiency.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3A
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• pp.193-200
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• 2010

Structural design requires simultaneously to ensure safety by considering quantitatively uncertainties in the applied loadings, material properties and fabrication error and to maximize economical efficiency. As a solution, system reliability-based design optimization (SRBDO), which takes into consideration both uncertainties and economical efficiency, has been extensively researched and numerous attempts have been done to apply it to structural design. Contrary to conventional deterministic optimization, SRBDO involves the evaluation of component and system probabilistic constraints. However, because of the complicated algorithm for calculating component reliability indices and system reliability, excessive computational time is required when the large-scale finite element analysis is involved in evaluating the probabilistic constraints. Accordingly, an algorithm for SRBDO exhibiting improved stability and efficiency needs to be developed for the large-scale problems. In this study, a more stable and efficient SRBDO based on the performance measure approach (PMA) is developed. PMA shows good performance when it is applied to reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) which has only component probabilistic constraints. However, PMA could not be applied to SRBDO because PMA only calculates the probabilistic performance measure for limit state functions and does not evaluate the reliability indices. In order to overcome these difficulties, the decoupled algorithm is proposed where RBDO based on PMA is sequentially performed with updated target component reliability indices until the calculated system reliability index approaches the target system reliability index. Through a mathematical problem and ten-bar truss problem, the proposed method shows better convergence and efficiency than other approaches.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.1A
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• pp.45-52
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• 2009

In conventional structural design, deterministic optimization which satisfies codified constraints is performed to ensure safety and maximize economical efficiency. However, uncertainties are inevitable due to the stochastic nature of structural materials and applied loads. Thus, deterministic optimization without considering these uncertainties could lead to unreliable design. Recently, there has been much research in reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) taking into consideration both the reliability and optimization. RBDO involves the evaluation of probabilistic constraint that can be estimated using the RIA (Reliability Index Approach) and the PMA(Performance Measure Approach). It is generally known that PMA is more stable and efficient than RIA. Despite the significant advancement in PMA, RBDO still requires large computation time for large-scale applications. In this paper, A new reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) method is presented to achieve the more stable and efficient algorithm. The idea of the new method is to integrate a response surface method (RSM) with PMA. For the approximation of a limit state equation, the moving least squares (MLS) method is used. Through a mathematical example and ten-bar truss problem, the proposed method shows better convergence and efficiency than other approaches.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.501-504
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• 1995

A Simultaneous optimal design of structural and control system of a semi-active suspension is applied on a helf-car model in this paper. Suspension stiffnesses and dampings are selected as structural design parameters and damping forces of variable dampers as controller parameters. Sence this optimization problem is of large discontinuous space, conventional exhaustive methods are not enough. So we here try out an approach using Genetic Algorithm for our problem. Through numerical simulation work, the performance of the simultaneously optimized system was tested and showed meaningful improvement over the partially optimized ones.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.10b
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• pp.155-157
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• 2005

We propose a new category of hybrid multi-layer neural networks with hetero nodes such as Fuzzy Set based Polynomial Neurons (FSPNs) and Polynomial Neurons (PNs). These networks are based on a genetically optimized multi-layer perceptron. We develop a comprehensive design methodology involving mechanisms of genetic optimization and genetic algorithms, in particular. The augmented genetically optimized HFPNN (namely gHFPNN) results in a structurally optimized structure and comes with a higher level of flexibility in comparison to the one we encounter in the conventional HFPNN. The GA-based design procedure being applied at each layer of HFPNN leads to the selection of preferred nodes (FPNs or PNs) available within the HFPNN. In the sequel, two general optimization mechanisms are explored. First, the structural optimization is realized via GAs whereas the ensuing detailed parametric optimization is carried out in the setting of a standard least square method-based learning. The performance of the gHFPNNs quantified through experimentation where we use a number of modeling benchmarks-synthetic and experimental data already experimented with in fuzzy or neurofuzzy modeling.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2000.06a
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• pp.1627-1632
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• 2000

Recently, piezoelectric materials have attracted considerable attention because of its self-sensing and actuating properties. To model smart structures, numerical modeling of structures with piezoelectric devices is essential. As many factors affect the performance of smart structures, optimization of these parameters is necessary. In this paper, the shape design sensitivity analysis of the 3D piezoelectric and structural elements is developed and shape optimization is performed. For the evaluation of the sensitivity, the finite element method is used. For the shape sensitivity, the domain velocity field is calculated. An acoustic cavity model is presented as a numerical example to study the feasibility of the formulation. The continuum sensitivity is compared with the results of the finite difference method by ANSYS. And the sequential linear programming (SLP) algorithm is used as the optimization algorithm.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.97-104
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• 2006

The geometric configuration in the weight reduction designis very required to be started from the conceptual design with low cost, high performance and quality. In this point, a structural-topological shape concerned with conceptual design of structure is important. The method used in this paper combines three optimization techniques, where the shape and physical dimensions of the structure and material distribution are hierachically optimized, with the maximum rigidity of structure and lightweight. As the results, the technology of weight reduction design is considered in designs of aluminum control arm and inner panel of door.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.57-62
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• 2006

The quality of precision spindle units (S/Us) running on rolling bearings depends strongly on their structural parameters, such as the configuration and geometry of the S/U elements and bearing preloads. When S/Us are designed, their parameters should be optimized to improve the performance characteristics. However, it is practically impossible to state perfectly a general criterion function for S/U quality. Therefore, we propose to use a multicriteria optimization based on the parameter space investigation (PSI) method We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method using the optimization results of high-speed S/Us.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.501-519
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• 2012

Truss weight is one of the most important factors in the cost of construction that should be reduced. Different methods have been proposed to optimize the weight of trusses. The artificial bee colony algorithm has been proposed recently. This algorithm selects the lightest section from a list of available profiles that satisfy the existing provisions in the design codes and specifications. An important issue in optimization algorithms is how to impose constraints. In this paper, the artificial bee colony algorithm is used for the discrete optimization of trusses. The fly-back mechanism is chosen to impose constraints. Finally, with some basic examples that have been introduced in similar articles, the performance of this algorithm is tested using the fly-back mechanism. The results indicate that the rate of convergence and the accuracy are optimized in comparison with other methods.