Data-driven design paradigm in engineering problems

Abstract

Engineering design problems can, in general, be discussed under the framework of decision making, namely engineering design decisions. Inherently, accounting for uncertainty factors is an indispensable part in these decision processes. In a sense, the goal of design decisions is to control or reduce the variational effect in decision consequences induced by many uncertainty factors, by optimizing an expected utility objective or other preference functions. In this paper, the value of data in facilitating making engineering design decisions is highlighted, and a data-driven design paradigm for practical engineering problems is proposed. The definition of data in this paradigm is elaborated first. Then the data involvement in a whole stage-based design process is investigated. An overall decision strategy for design problems under the data-driven paradigm is proposed. By a concrete satellite design example, the key ideas of the proposed data-driven design paradigm are demonstrated. Future work is also advised.