A multidisciplinary coupling relationship coordination algorithm using the hierarchical control methods of complex systems and its application in multidisciplinary design optimization

Abstract

Because of the increasing complexity in engineering systems, multidisciplinary design optimization has attracted increasing attention. High computational expense and organizational complexity are two main challenges of multidisciplinary design optimization. To address these challenges, the hierarchical control method of complex systems is developed in this study. Hierarchical control method is a powerful way which has been utilized widely in the control and coordination of large-scale complex systems. Here, a hierarchical control method–based coupling relationship coordination algorithm is proposed to solve multidisciplinary design optimization problems. Coupling relationship coordination algorithm decouples the involved disciplines of a complex system and then optimizes each discipline objective at sub-system level. Coupling relationship coordination algorithm can maintain the consistency of interaction information (or in other words, sharing design variables and coupling design variables) in different disciplines by introducing control parameters. The control parameters are assigned by the coordinator at system level. A mechanical structure multidisciplinary design optimization problem is solved to illustrate the details of the proposed approach.