A Novel Approach to Robust Design Using Recent Advances in Robust and Multiobjective Optimization Methods

Current advances in the fi eld of Robust Optimization (RO) from such authors as Azarm, Ben-Tal, Elishakoff , Zhang, Renaud and others have led to new and interesting approaches to the treatment of uncertainty in traditional engineering problems. This paper presents the Budget of Uncertainty (BoU) design method; a new method by which such approaches can be applied in a manner which balances the need for optimization with the desire for robust solutions. Where previous work has focused on immunizing an optimization problem against pre-set uncertainty ranges, the BoU method adds additional design variables in an eff ort to solve for an appropriate uncertainty range. The BoU method simultaneously determines an optimum solution and an allowed uncertainty budget within a restricted feasibility space. The result is a solution that guarantees fi rst order satisfaction of uncertain constraints and provides a measure of problem sensitivity to its uncertain parameters. This provides additional insight to early problem development, and can potentially create alternatives to traditional approaches such as Monte Carlo analysis. Within this work we will present a summary of current RO research and introduce the BoU method. We will then apply the BoU method to a simple 2D geometric problem to illustrate its application. Finally, we tackle two well-studied engineering design problems, the Golinksi Speed Reducer and the simple Helical Spring design problem to show a more realistic application of the new method.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Joseph, Gregory

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rao, Jagannatha R.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Grigoriadis, Karolos M.
• Song, Gangbing
• Lim, Gino J.
• Feng, Qianmei

• Multiobjective
• Optimization
• Goal programming
• Uncertainty
• Robust design

Statement dc:rights

• The author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10657/2162

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/2162