Integrated shape-morphing and surrogate model-assisted multi-objective structural optimization of an automobile wheel made of lightweight materials to improve its impact resistance

Abstract

To address the technical challenge that automobile wheels made of lightweight materials are prone to failure under dynamic impact loads, an integrated multi-objective optimization approach is proposed to determine the optimal design with enhanced impact resistance without reducing other structural performance. The shape-morphing technique, hybrid surrogate-based modelling approach, multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm, and a novel identification approach combining the modified technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution and modified comprehensive objective weighting method are used separately to parameterize a model of the wheel, construct approximation models, solve the optimization process and determine the optimal trade-off design. The robustness and effectiveness of the identification method are demonstrated by analysing the effects of different optimization strategies on the optimal trade-off solutions. According to the optimized results, the impact resistance of the wheel is evidently enhanced while its total mass remains almost unchanged and other mechanical performance metrics are improved to varying degrees.