Multidisciplinary Design Approach Using Repetitive Response Surface Enhancement and Global Optimization

In this study, repetitive response surface enhancement technique (RRSET) is proposed as a new system approximation method for the efficient multidisciplinary design and optimization (MDO). In order to represent the highly nonlinear behavior of the response with second order polynomials, RRSET introduces a design space transformation using stretching functions and repetitive response surface improvement. The tentative optimal point is repetitively included to the set of experimental points to better approximate the response surface of the system especially near the optimal point, hence a response surface with significantly improved accuracy can be generated with very small experimental points and system iterations. As a system optimizer, the simulated annealing, a global optimization algorithm is utilized. The proposed technique is applied to the several numerical examples, and demonstrates the validity and efficiency of the method. With its improved approximation accuracy, the RRSET can contribute to resolve large and complex system design problems under MDO environment.