Multi-criteria Optimization Task Research Articles

Multicriteria Structural Optimization as a Technique for Quality Improvement in the Design Process

Abstract: After being able to determine the structural behavior by means of finite methods (e.g., finite elements, finite differences, boundary elements), an important goal of engineering activities is to improve and to optimize technical designs, structural assemblies, and components. The task of vector or multicriteria structural optimization is to support the engineer in finding the best‐possible design alternatives of specific structures. The “best‐possible” or “optimal” structure is the one that corresponds to the designer's desired concept, meeting at the same time all kinds of multidisciplinary requirements referring to manufacturing, erecting, operating, etc. In comparison with the trialand‐error method generally used in the engineering environment and based on an intuitive heuristic approach, the determination of optimal solutions by means of correctly applied optimization procedures is more reliable and efficient. These procedures will be a need in the design process in future, and they are already increasingly entering industrial practice. Two examples of real‐life structures are introduced in this paper.

Game Theory as a Design Tool

Game theory encompasses not only the familiar concept of scalar optimization, but the less known concepts of multicriteria optimization and multiple optimizers as well. This paper examines the role of game theory in the engineering design process. This is done by demonstrating how game theory as a design tool applies beyond scalar optimization to the multicriteria optimization problem. The multicriteria optimization task is examined not only from the perspective of a single designer but from the perspective of team design as well. In the latter case the design problem has been assigned to several designers each responsible for one aspect of the total design.