Introduction to Optimum Design

by Emeritus Arora F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor

Overview

Optimization is a mathematical tool developed in the early 1960's used to find the most efficient and feasible solutions to an engineering problem. It can be used to find ideal shapes and physical configurations, ideal structural designs, maximum energy efficiency, and many other desired goals of engineering.

This book is intended for use in a first course on engineering design and optimization. Material for the text has evolved over a period of several years and is based on classroom presentations for an undergraduate core course on the principles of design. Virtually any problem for which certain parameters need to be determined to satisfy constraints can be formulated as a design optimization problem. The concepts and methods described in the text are quite general and applicable to all such formulations. Inasmuch, the range of application of the optimum design methodology is almost limitless, constrained only by the imagination and ingenuity of the user. The book describes the basic concepts and techniques with only a few simple applications. Once they are clearly understood, they can be applied to many other advanced applications that are discussed in the text.

• Allows engineers involved in the design process to adapt optimum design concepts in their work using the material in the text
• Basic concepts of optimality conditions and numerical methods are described with simple examples, making the material high teachable and learnable
• Classroom-tested for many years to attain optimum pedagogical effectiveness

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780080470252
Publisher:	Elsevier Science & Technology Books
Publication date:	06/02/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	728
File size:	21 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dr. Arora is the F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Iowa. He was also Director of the Optimal Design Laboratory and Associate Director of the Center for Computer Aided Design. He is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of optimization, numerical analysis, and real-time implementation. His research interests include optimization-based digital human modeling, dynamic response optimization, optimal control of systems, design sensitivity analysis and optimization of nonlinear systems, and parallel optimization algorithms. Dr. Arora has authored two books, co-authored or edited five others, written 160 journal articles, 27 book chapters, 130 conference papers, and more than 300 technical reports.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Design
2. Optimum Design Problem Formulation
3. Graphical Optimization
4. Optimum Design Concepts
5. More on Optimum Design Concepts
6. Linear Programming Methods for Optimum Design
7. More on Linear Programming Methods for Optimum Design
8. Numerical Methods for Unconstrained Optimum Design
9. More on Numerical Methods for Unconstrained Optimum Design
10. Numerical Methods for Constrained Optimum Design
11. More on Numerical Methods for Constrained Optimum Design
12. Introduction to Optimum Design with MATLAB
13. Interactive Design Optimization
14. Design Optimization Applications with Implicit Functions
15. Discrete Variable Optimum Design Concepts and Methods
16. Genetic Algorithms for Optimum Design
17. Multi-Objective Optimum Design Concepts and Methods
18. Global Optimization Concepts and Methods for Optimum Design

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

By carrying on the tradition of the most widely used textbook in engineering optimization and optimum design courses, this book is ideal for undergraduate or graduate level courses in engineering departments of all disciplines, providing instructors with new methods for teaching optimization at any level in the engineering curriculum

Editorial Reviews

"I feel that Dr. Arora presented significant amounts of material in a clear and straightforward manner. The book is definitely a reference that practitioners would like to have and depend upon, especially with the plethora of examples and applications. As an educator, Dr. Arora’s book also has a tremendous number of problems at the end of the chapters and examples that I would try to use in class...the book is a solid introduction to optimization algorithms." - Georges Fadel, Associate Editor, Journal of Mechanical Design "Arora’s introduction of a much-anticipated second edition of Introduction to Optimum Design will not only satisfy established users of his well-received first edition, but moreover, significant updates, supplementary material, and fine-tuning of the pedagogical aspects of the presentation will certainly broaden its appeal…among some of the distinguishing characteristics of Arora’s book are its adaptability to audiences with diverse backgrounds, as well as the extent to which it makes the topic clear and approachable...The book would also be excellent as a self-study reference for the practicing engineer…In summary, when considering the pedagogical refinements of the book, the expanded and updated software examples, as well as the extended survey of emerging computational methods, Arora’s Introduction to Optimum Design, 2nd Ed., furthers its goal ofdescribing engineering design optimization in a rigorous yet simplified manner which is both highly accessible to and useful for a wide audience." - David F. Thompson, Graduate Program Director, University of Cincinnati"I have used several optmization books over the past 10 years to support my various graduate optimization courses. Of all the books that I have used, I prefer Dr. Arora’s Introduction to Optimum Design, 2nd Ed…The strength of this book lies in his attention to detail using numeric exercises to demonstrate the numerical processes used in the various optimization methods. I particularly like his choice of nomenclature throughout the book, as it conforms to the standard symbols and function names used in classical optimization literature. The application exercises presented cover a broad range in technologies, which makes it a good textbook for any engineering discipline." - Tom R. Mincer, California State University"...this book is well written and covers just about every topic that one needs to know about the optimum design process. It includes a good balance of theory and application. The book will therefore be appealing to all users." - Practice Periodical On Structural Design and Construction - ASCE, Nov. 2005

From the Publisher