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Based on virtual reality technology, landscape 3D modeling provides users with the possibility to construct a simulated garden landscape environment design effect online, so it has high requirements for accuracy. With the continuous improvement of precision requirements, the number of people involved in the construction of 3D models is also increasing, which puts forward higher requirements for modeling. Based on this, this paper studies the optimization strategy of landscape space 3D model based on big data analysis. Based on the analysis of the establishment of the 3D model and the related algorithm research, this paper analyzes the optimal design of the 3D model under the background of big data. In the 3D modeling of the edge folded area, it is based on the traditional quadratic error measurement grid simplification algorithm, combined with the vertex error matrix to simplify, so as to shorten the modeling time. Based on an efficient search algorithm, an adaptive nonsearch fractal image compression and decoding method is proposed in the image compression and decoding stage of 3D modeling. The search is performed by specifying the defined area block. Finally, an experiment is designed to analyze the performance of the optimization algorithm. The results show that the improved edge folding region algorithm can reduce errors on the basis of ensuring image quality, and the adaptive search algorithm can shorten the search time and improve the compression rate. This method provides a technical reference for the visualization experience and simulation system of garden landscape design and improves the presentation quality of virtual garden landscape design scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to more accurately analyze the fatigue reliability of motor hanger for high-speed train and reduce the influence of uncertain factors, a Bayesian statistical method is introduced to propose a novel fatigue reliability analysis method based on Bayesian updating and subset simulation. First, considering the influence of various uncertain parameters on the first principal stress (FPS) of motor hanger, the ANSYS parametric design language (APDL) is used to establish the parametric model. The D-optimal design of experiment is carried out to calculate the FPS of the motor hanger. Second, the experimental data is fitted by the least square method to establish a polynomial response surface function which characterizes the FPS of the motor hanger, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) is carried out. On this basis, the variation trend of the FPS under parameter fluctuation is calculated, and its probability distribution characteristics are obtained. Based on the MATLAB platform, the Bayesian updating method is adopted to correct the probability and statistical characteristics of the FPS to improve the accuracy of prediction. Finally, the subset simulation (SS) method is used to calculate the fatigue failure probability of the motor hanger. The research results show that the proposed method helps to improve the accuracy and efficiency of fatigue reliability analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suffered from the unsatisfied time consumption of thermal error compensation, this paper aims to realize a faster and more accurate fibre optic gyroscope (FOG) thermal error compensation plan, so that the deep-hole inclinometer using in mining which is based on FOG will make accurate measurement under external thermal field. Using uniform mixed-data design method, it is learned that the temperature compensation experiments only consumed 1/9 the time required for traditional method within the working condition range of 0~120°C. Suffice it to say that our method can markedly enhance the efficiency of FOG temperature compensation. To this end, the finite-element method (FEM) was also applied to explore the thermal conductivity and simulate the complex boundary conditions of the FOG. Then, the Shupe error of the FOG was calculated and used to derive the FOG error compensation formula, and the factors and their levels affecting the Shupe error in thermal field were considered in error compensation experiments. After that, the optimal design of FOG thermal error compensation experiments was created by FOG error compensation formula and uniform mixed-data design table, and this plan significantly reduced the number of experiments compared to before. Finally, the design was compared with the full-scale design and orthogonal design to verify its accuracy and efficiency. The comparison shows that the proposed method can markedly enhance the efficiency of FOG error compensation and elevate the measuring accuracy of FOG. This paper innovatively applies the uniform mixed-data design method to the field of FOG measurement, and this research offers new insights into the error compensation optimization of FOG measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems usually operate under off‐design conditions due to load fluctuations, environmental factors, and performance characteristics of the system. In order to optimize design and operation of CAES systems, it is significant to study off‐design performance. The expansion process plays an important role in the whole system. The main objective of this study is to explore the off‐design characteristics and optimization strategy of the multistage expansion process of CAES systems with thermal storage. Two kinds of off‐design operating modes, which are equal‐power‐ratio (EPR) operation and optimizing variable stator vane rotation angle (OVRA) operation, are proposed and compared for the first time. Correlation between key parameters such as total output power ratio, exergy efficiency, outlet air/water temperature versus mass flow rate ratio, and inlet pressure are revealed. Furthermore, optimal operation principles are obtained. The primary optimizing operation principle is to optimize the isentropic efficiencies of low‐pressure stages to improve the whole efficiency of expansion process. Lastly, the optimized regulating law for variable stator vane is expressed in a polynomial form. A comprehensive off‐design model of a multistage expansion process in CAES systems with thermal storage is established for the first time. Two operation modes, optimizing VSV rotational angle (OVRA) and equal pressure ratio (EPR) respectively, are built and compared for exploring the optimization principle. Two kinds of exergy efficiencies are introduced for better analyzing the thermodynamic process, and the main optimized regulation principle is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Currently, all compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) for photovoltaic (PV) application consist of reflecting surfaces in the form of a parabolic shape. However, parabolic shapes create non‐uniform illumination on the PV module, which significantly reduces the power output. To achieve high‐concentration ratio and uniform illumination on the PV module, this study proposes the use of flat reflector sections in a symmetric two‐dimentional CPC instead of the parabolic shape. This collector is called multisectioned compound parabolic concentrator (M‐CPC). However, the main challenge in designing such a concentrating system lies in the determination of the optimal number of flat sections and the width of each section so that the optical properties of the M‐CPC approaches that of the standard CPC. In this work, seven M‐CPCs having the same designing parameters but with different total number of flat reflector sections were designed. A detailed analysis of the optical performance was undertaken to optimase the M‐CPCs. The optimal design was based on‐high angular acceptance, low‐optical losses, high‐optical efficiency in a wide‐interval incidence angles, and uniform energy flux distribution on the PV module. Results from the ray trace simulation analysis show that the optimal M‐CPC is the design with a total number of seven flat reflector sections (ie, M‐CPC7). This design has high‐angular acceptance (100%) in a wide‐interval incidence angles, low‐optical losses (7%), and high‐optical efficiency of about 95% in a wide‐interval incidence angles. In addition, M‐CPC7 illuminates the PV module more uniformly than the standard CPC. This study proposes the use of flat reflector sections in the compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) instead of the parabolic shape. Flat reflector sections create more uniform energy flux distributions on the solar module, thus improving the power output. A CPC with flat reflector sections has been designed. The optimased multisectioned CPC has uniform illumination, high‐angular acceptance, and high‐optical efficiency similar standard CPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the fault-tolerant control (FTC) problem for an electric power steering (EPS) system subjected to stochastic sensor failures, and a novel fault-tolerant controller is proposed based on the genetic algorithm (GA). A mathematical model of the EPS system with sensor failures is first established, and the state feedback control law is solved by using linear quadratic regulator techniques to stabilize the closed-loop control system. Then, the dynamic response errors of the EPS system with and without sensor faults are chosen as the optimization objective function. Furthermore, the appropriate weighting matrices are evaluated to obtain the optimal fault control law by using GA. Finally, simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The dynamic performance of base‐isolated buildings can be improved by introducing a tuned mass damper (TMD) at basement, below the isolation floor where most of the earthquake‐induced displacement demand is concentrated. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the TMD without simultaneously amplifying the relevant mass ratio, the use of supplemental inertial mass dampers has been envisaged by the authors and other authors in earlier studies. These schemes exploit the mass‐amplification effect of the inerter, a two‐terminal device whose generated force is ideally proportional to the relative acceleration between its terminals. In this paper, we present a review along with a systematic comparative study of six different strategies proposed in the literature, each one featuring a specific combination of mass‐spring‐dashpot elements arranged in series or in parallel with an inerter for the displacement mitigation of base‐isolated structures. Frequency‐response functions of each model are derived in closed form. Optimal design is based on a common strategy, considering a white‐noise random process as seismic input, by minimization of the displacement variance but with an eye also for the superstructure acceleration (associated with forces arising in the superstructure) and for the TMD stroke. Then, the seismic performance of the six systems is assessed considering an ensemble of 52 natural earthquake ground motions, by comparing several response indicators including TMD stroke, deformation of the base‐isolation floor, superstructure acceleration, interstory drifts, base shear, and reactions associated with spring, oil damper, and inertial damper supporting the TMD, which are significant for outlining preliminary economic assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and flexible model for economic statistical design of joint X- and S2 control charts was proposed. The design problem was approached by constrained fuzzy multiobjective modeling for three objectives: joint power, joint Type I error, and joint total control cost. Fuzzy membership functions were created to measure the satisfaction levels of the objectives, and the overall satisfaction level of the design was calculated using a weighted-average method. A genetic algorithm was designed to solve this model. The strength of this model lies in its effectiveness in detecting the assignable causes through the joint design and in its simplicity and flexibility in dealing with uncertainties in the design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional suction mechanism with an air pump in robotics is difficult to miniaturize. Integrating a piezoelectric pump into a suction cup is an effective method to achieve miniaturization. In this paper, a novel suction cup with a piezoelectric micropump is designed. The micropump is valveless and the suction cup is designed with a laminated structure in order to facilitate miniaturizing and manufacturing. A systematic optimization design method of the suction cup is introduced which addresses the static and dynamic driving characteristics of the piezoelectric actuator and the rectifying efficiency of diffuser/nozzle’s optimization. The design is verified via simulation using an improved equivalent electric network model. Static lumped parameters in this model are calculated by the finite element method instead of the traditional analytic method, and the diffuser/nozzle’s flow resistance is computed by integrating and introducing rectifying efficiency coefficient. Simulation results indicate that the suction cup can generate a stable negative pressure, and the equivalent electric network model can improve the simulation efficiency and accuracy. The maximum steady-state negative pressure of the suction cup can also be effectively improved after optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetorheological fluid (MRF) damper is one of the most promising semiactive devices for vibration control. In this paper, a shear-valve mode MRF damper for pipeline vibration control is proposed. The dynamic model and the state equation of the pipeline are established and the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) is used to generate the optimal damping force of MRF damper. The design concept considering the structure and the electromagnetic properties simultaneously is discussed in detail. A mathematical model of the relation between shear stress and control current based on interpolation method is established. Finite element analysis (FEA) software COMSOL is selected to simulate the magnetic field and electromagnetism-thermal field of the MRF damper. A computational method based on the simulation model is established to calculate the shear stress. In order to reduce the magnetic leakage, a method of adding magnetism-insulators at both ends of the piston head is presented. The influence of control current, displacement, and velocity on mechanical performance of the proposed MRF damper is experimentally investigated. The test results show that the performance of the MRF damper is basically identical with the theoretical prospective and the simulation conclusions, which proves the correctness and feasibility of this design concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robot calibration highly depends on redundant measurement configurations to collect enough sample data for higher accuracy, but excessive measurements seem to be uneconomical and time-consuming. Thus lots of observability indexes to evaluate the goodness of the measurement configurations have been proposed. However, in some circumstances, it is of critical importance to obtain accurate kinematic parameters and estimate the end-effector pose precisely at the same time. Obviously one single observability index can hardly meet this need yet. Accordingly, after analyzing the essential constrains of robot calibration and the influence of measurement configurations on the observability indexes, an optimization model with two observability indexes to be taken into consideration is proposed in this paper, and then the existing DETMAX algorithm is modified to seek optimal design of measurement configurations, by adopting a set-constructing method and a set-shrinking method. Much better results have been obtained by simulation study, which implies that the proposed model and the modified DETMAX algorithm perform well in both kinematic parameter identification and pose estimation of the end-effector of the robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the flexible 3D stretch bending with multipoint dies for the aluminum profile, the numerical simulation analysis of the bending process was carried out by ABAQUS finite element software. In the multipoint stretch bending (MPSB) process, the influence of the number of die units on the springback for the complex section profile was studied. The shape error between the forming parts and the target parts was reduced through the method of die surface modification. The results showed that the springback of the aluminum profile could reach a minimum when the number of die units was 25 under the precondition of saving cost and ensuring the quality of forming parts. In the numerical simulation, the maximum shape error of the forming parts reduced from 18.824 mm to 2.456 mm; in the test, the maximum shape error reduced from 27.26 mm to 6.03 mm through the method of die surface modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes a computational tool, based on an evolutionary algorithm, for the synthesis and optimization of submarine pipeline routes considering the incorporation of on-bottom stability criteria (OBS). This comprises a breakthrough in the traditional pipeline design methodology, where the definition of a route and the stability calculations had been performed independently: firstly, the route is defined according to geographical-topographical issues (including manual/visual inspection of seabed bathymetry and obstacles); afterwards, stability is verified, and mitigating procedures (such as ballast weight) are specified. This might require several design spirals until a final configuration is reached, or (most commonly) has led to excessive costs for the mitigation of instability problems. The optimization tool evaluates each candidate route by incorporating, as soft and hard constraints, several criteria usually considered in the manual design (pipeline length, bathymetry data, obstacles); also, with the incorporation of OBS criteria into the objective function, stability becomes an integral part of the optimization process, simultaneously handling minimization of length and cost of mitigating procedures. Case studies representative of actual applications are presented. The results show that OBS criteria significantly influences the best route, indicating that the tool can reduce the design time of a pipeline and minimize installation/operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous works revealed that cross-corrugated absorber plate design and jet impingement on a flat absorber plate resulted in a significant increase in the performance of a solar air heater (SAH). Involving these two designs into one continuous design to improve the SAH performance remains absent in the literature. This study aimed to evaluate the achieved enhancement on performance parameters of a SAH with jet impingement on a corrugated absorber plate. An energy balance model was developed to compare the performance parameters of the proposed SAH with the other two SAHs. At a clear sky day and a mass flow rate of 0.04 kg/s, the hourly results revealed that the max fluid outlet temperatures for the proposed SAH, jet-to-flat plate SAH, and cross-corrugated plate SAH are 321, 317, and 313 K, respectively; the max absorber plate temperatures are 323.5, 326.5, and 328 K, respectively; the maximum temperature differences between the absorber plate and fluid outlet are ~3, 9, and 15 K, respectively; the max efficiencies are 65.7, 64.8, and 60%, respectively. Statistical t-test results confirmed significant differences between the mean efficiency of the proposed SAH and SAH with jet-to-flat plate. Hence, the proposed design is considered superior in improving the performance parameters of SAH compared to other designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the optimal design parameters for percussive drilling systems considering the bit-rock interaction. First, the motion dynamics of a bit impacted by a dropped piston are modeled by impact stress propagation and a rock-breaking mechanism representing the penetration resistance coefficient and unloading constant. Next, the damping vibration behavior of the bit is investigated considering the impact duration and the rock loading/unloading condition. In addition, the proposed dynamics are simplified by adopting two dimensionless parameters representing the bit-piston mass ratio and the rock-piston stiffness ratio. Finally, the drilling efficiency, defined by the energy transmitted from the piston to the rock, is presented in terms of the proposed parameters. The use of optimal design parameters for percussive drilling systems improved the drilling efficiency. These results are applicable to the design and performance estimation of down-the-hole and top-hammer systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Present study aims to address the design of smart vibration control scheme for horizontal axis wind turbine tower using magneto‐rheological tuned liquid column damper. With this in view, a reduced order model of the blade‐tower system is used, considering centrifugal stiffening and gravitational effects that lead to time‐dependent dynamic stiffness matrix. Aerodynamic load on the blades is modeled using blade element momentum theory. Semiactive control law in linear quadratic regulator framework is developed to mitigate the along‐wind vibration of the tower. To implement the control law, multiblade coordinate transformation is adopted that converts the system matrices in the nonrotating framework to tackle its time dependency. The performance of the proposed control algorithm is demonstrated using numerical simulations with and without controller. Clipped optimality of the control force is imposed to keep the parameters of magneto‐rheological tuned liquid column damper in the feasible range. Finally, sensitivity analysis is carried out to demonstrate the performance envelope of the proposed control algorithm for different operational scenario. Results presented in this paper clearly demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can be employed for effective along‐wind vibration control of large HWAT tower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A minimum weight design is developed for a composite laminated tube considering the number of plies as one of the design variables. The objective function is found to be complex, and more than one optimal design point may exist with different numbers of plies. Existing methods based on evolutionary algorithms tend to become trapped around a local optimum and can find no more than one optimal result per calculation. Aiming at the characteristics of the objective function, an improved evolutionary algorithm (INDE for short) is established based on niching technology. The formula for calculating the distance between individuals in the niching technology is improved to satisfy the minimum weight design for the composite laminated tube. As a result, the improved niching evolutionary algorithm offers better global search ability and can find more than one optimal result per calculation for different numbers of plies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces an optimized wavelet designed by fractionally delaying the coefficients of the unit delay filter. The wavelets produced by optimized fractionally delayed filter coefficients are named as fraclets. Fraclet has been utilized in the real-time power quality events' detection and classification which has been hitherto addressed with the help of unit delay filters. Normal signal, voltage sag, swell, harmonics, sag with harmonics, swell with harmonics, sag and swell with harmonics, and sag and swell with interruption are considered in this work to validate the performance of proposed algorithm based on fraclet. Along with real-time generation of various power quality events with TMS320C6748 DSP board, different events have also been simulated by using parametric equations. The upper hand of fraclets over wavelets has been highlighted by maximally flat frequency response of fraclets. Moreover, fraclets facilitate better multiresolution analysis by providing low energy compaction ratio (ECR). Further, 11 characteristic features have also been extracted from each decomposition level of PQ signal up to fifth level and fed to the modified probabilistic neural network (MPNN) for validating the proposed power quality event detection and classification algorithm. MPNN has outperformed the support vector machine (SVM), both with fraclet and wavelet. The proposed algorithm relying on fraclets has shown better results as compared with wavelet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A parameter optimal design method for a tank with an inerter system is proposed in this study based on the requirements of tank vibration control to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of vibration control. Moreover, a response indicator and a cost control indicator are selected based on the control targets for liquid storage tanks for simultaneously minimizing the dynamic response and controlling costs. These indicators are reformulated through a random vibration analysis under virtual excitation. The problem is then transformed from a multiobjective optimization problem to a single-objective nonlinear problem using the ε-constraint method, which is consistent with the demand-based method. White noise excitation can be used to design the tank with the inerter system under seismic excitation to simplify the calculation. Subsequently, a MATLAB-based calculation program is compiled, and several optimization cases are examined under different excitation conditions. The effectiveness of the demand-based method is proven through a time history analysis. The results show that specific vibration control requirements can be met at the lowest cost with a simultaneous reduction in base shears and overturning base moments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ride safety of a tracked vehicle is the key focus of this research. The factors that affect the ride safety of a vehicle are analyzed and evaluation parameters with their criteria are proposed. A multibody cosimulation approach is used to investigate the effects of hydropneumatic parameters on the ride safety and aid with design optimization and tuning of the suspension system. Based on the cosimulation environment, the vehicle multibody dynamics (MBD) model and the road model are developed using RecurDyn, which is linked to the hydropneumatic suspension model developed in Lab AMESim. Test verification of a single suspension unit is accomplished and the suspension parameters are implemented within the hydropneumatic model. Virtual tests on a G class road at different speeds are conducted. Effects of the accumulator charge pressure, damping diameter, and the track tensioning pressure on the ride safety are analyzed and quantified. This research shows that low accumulator charge pressure, improper damping diameter, and insufficient track tensioning pressure will deteriorate the ride safety. The results provide useful references for the optimal design and control of the parameters of a hydropneumatic suspension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Train Design Optimization Problem regards making optimal decisions on the number and movement of locomotives and crews through a railway network, so as to satisfy requested pick-up and delivery of car blocks at stations. In a mathematical programming formulation, the objective function to minimize is composed of the costs associated with the movement of locomotives and cars, the loading/unloading operations, the number of locomotives, and the crews’ return to their departure stations. The constraints include upper bounds for number of car blocks per locomotive, number of car block swaps, and number of locomotives passing through railroad segments. We propose here a heuristic method to solve this highly combinatorial problem in two steps. The first one finds an initial, feasible solution by means of an ad hoc algorithm. The second step uses the simulated annealing concept to improve the initial solution, followed by a procedure aiming to further reduce the number of needed locomotives. We show that our results are competitive with those found in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical extending limit in horizontal drilling means the maximum horizontal extending length of a horizontal well under certain ground and down-hole mechanical constraint conditions. Around this concept, the constrained optimization model of mechanical extending limits is built and simplified analytical results for pick-up and slack-off operations are deduced. The horizontal extending limits for kinds of tubular strings under different drilling parameters are calculated and drawn. To improve extending limits, an optimal design model of drill strings is built and applied to a case study. The results indicate that horizontal extending limits are underestimated a lot when the effects of friction force on critical helical buckling loads are neglected. Horizontal extending limits firstly increase and tend to stable values with vertical depths. Horizontal extending limits increase faster but finally become smaller with the increase of horizontal pushing forces for tubular strings of smaller modulus-weight ratio. Sliding slack-off is the main limit operation and high axial friction is the main constraint factor constraining horizontal extending limits. A sophisticated installation of multiple tubular strings can greatly inhibit helical buckling and increase horizontal extending limits. The optimal design model is called only once to obtain design results, which greatly increases the calculation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though quite a number of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) architectures have been proposed for the optimal design of large-scale multidisciplinary systems, how their performance changes with the complexity of MDO problem varied is not well studied. In order to solve this problem, this paper presents a variable complexity problem which allows people to obtain a MDO problem with arbitrary complexity by specifying its changeable parameters, such as the number of disciplines and the numbers of design variables. Then four investigations are performed to evaluate how the performance of different MDO architectures changes with the number of disciplines, global variables, local variables, and coupling variables varied, respectively. Finally, the results supply guidance for the selection of MDO architectures in solving practical engineering problems with different complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structures today may be equipped with passive structural control devices to achieve some performance criteria. The optimal design of these passive control devices, whether via a formal optimization algorithm or a response surface parameter study, requires multiple solutions of the dynamic response of that structure, incurring a significant computational cost for complex structures. These passive control elements are typically point-located, introducing a local change (possibly nonlinear, possibly uncertain) that affects the global behavior of the rest of the structure. When the structure, other than these localized devices, is linear and deterministic, conventional solvers (e.g., Runge-Kutta, MATLAB's ode45, etc.) ignore the localized nature of the passive control elements. The methodology applied in this paper exploits the locality of the uncertain and/or nonlinear passive control element(s) by exactly converting the form of the dynamics of the high-order structural model to a low-dimensional Volterra integral equation. Design optimization for parameters and placement of linear and nonlinear passive dampers, tuned mass dampers, and their combination, as well as their design-under-uncertainty for a benchmark cable-stayed bridge, is performed using this approach. For the examples considered herein, the proposed method achieves a two-orders-of-magnitude gain in computational efficiency compared with a conventional method of comparable accuracy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel technique to compute the revisit time of satellites within repeat ground tracks. Different from the repeat cycle which only depends on the orbit, the revisit time is relevant to the payload of the satellite as well, such as the tilt angle and swath width. The technique is discussed using the Bezout equation and takes the gravitational second zonal harmonic into consideration. The concept of subcycles is defined in a general way and the general concept of "small" offset is replaced by a multiple of the minimum interval on equator when analyzing the revisit time of remote sensing satellites. This technique requires simple calculations with high efficiency. At last, this technique is used to design remote sensing satellites with desired revisit time and minimum tilt angle. When the side-lap, the range of altitude, and desired revisit time are determined, a lot of orbit solutions which meet the mission requirements will be obtained fast. Among all solutions, designers can quickly find out the optimal orbits. Through various case studies, the calculation technique is successfully demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affective responses concern customers’ affective needs and have received increasing attention in consumer-focused research. To design a product that appeals to consumers, designers should consider multiple affective responses (MARs). Designing products capable of satisfying MARs falls into the category of multiobjective optimization (MOO). However, when exploring optimal product form design, most relevant studies have transformed multiple objectives into a single objective, which limits their usefulness to designers and consumers. To optimize product form design for MARs, this paper proposes an integrated model based on MOO and multicriteria decision-making (MCDM). First, design analysis is applied to identify design variables and MARs; quantification theory type I is then employed to build the relationship models between them; on the basis of these models, an MOO model for optimization of product form design is constructed. Next, we use nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) as a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) to solve the MOO model and thereby derive Pareto optimal solutions. Finally, we adopt the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) to obtain the optimal design from the Pareto solutions. A case study of car form design is conducted to demonstrate the proposed approach. The results suggest that this approach is feasible and effective in obtaining optimal designs and can provide great insight for product form design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pipe route design plays a prominent role in ship design. Due to the complex configuration in layout space with numerous pipelines, diverse design constraints, and obstacles, it is a complicated and time-consuming process to obtain the optimal route of ship pipes. In this article, an optimized design method for branch pipe routing is proposed to improve design efficiency and to reduce human errors. By simplifying equipment and ship hull models and dividing workspace into three-dimensional grid cells, the mathematic model of layout space is constructed. Based on the proposed concept of pipe grading method, the optimization model of pipe routing is established. Then an optimization procedure is presented to deal with pipe route planning problem by combining maze algorithm (MA), nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II), and cooperative coevolutionary nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (CCNSGA-II). To improve the performance in genetic algorithm procedure, a fixed-length encoding method is presented based on improved maze algorithm and adaptive region strategy. Fuzzy set theory is employed to extract the best compromise pipeline from Pareto optimal solutions. Simulation test of branch pipe and design optimization of a fuel piping system were carried out to illustrate the design optimization procedure in detail and to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grid point technique is a classical method in computing satellite constellation coverage to the ground regions. Aiming at improving the low computational efficiency of the conventional method, a method using latitude stripe division is proposed, which has high efficiency, and we name it latitude stripe method. After dividing the target region into several latitude stripes, the coverage status of each latitude stripe is computed by means of the spherical geometry relationship in the first orbital period. The longitude coverage intervals in the remaining orbital periods are computed by sliding the coverage status in the first orbital period. Based on this method, the instantaneous and cumulative coverage in simulation time can be calculated more efficiently. As well, the relationship between the cumulative coverage and altitude can be computed fast by this method, which could be used in the optimized design of repeating sun-synchronous orbits. The comparison between the conventional grid point method and the latitude stripe method shows that the latitude stripe method has high efficiency and accuracy. Through various case studies, the optimization in repeating sun-synchronous orbits design is successfully represented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a methodology to optimize the schedule coordination of a full-stop service pattern and a short-turning service pattern on a bus route. To capture the influence of bus crowding and seat availability on passengers' riding experience, we develop a Markov model to describe the seat-searching process of a passenger and an approach to estimate the transition probabilities of the Markov model. An optimization model that incorporates the Markov model is proposed to design the short-turning strategy. The proposed model minimizes the total cost, which includes operational cost, passengers' waiting time cost and passengers' in-vehicle travel time cost. Algorithm is developed to produce optimal values of the decision variables. The proposed methodology is evaluated in a case study. Compared with methodologies that ignore the effect of bus crowding, the proposed methodology could better balance bus load along the route and between two service patterns, provide passengers with better riding experience and reduce the total cost. In addition, it is shown that the optimal design of the short-turning strategy is sensitive to seat capacity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A shaped-beam dual-band reflectarray (RA) with shared aperture is designed and simulated in this communication. Desired radiation patterns are considered squared cosecant and pencil beam in elevation and azimuth planes for both bands, respectively. This antenna has been designed to operate at X-Band (9.6-10.9 GHz) with left-hand circular polarization and K-Band (19.1-21.6 GHz) with right-hand circular polarization. A thin layer of Frequency Selective Surface is used as a band separator to reduce mutual coupling between two frequency bands. A cross dipole with variable arc-shape delay line, which has very low cross polarization, is used as the radiation element for both bands. The capability of operating in different polarizations is an advantage of the proposed element. To obtain shaped-beam pattern for both bands, an optimization method based on physical optic is adopted. In the synthesis method, far-field radiation patterns are evaluated as a function of the tangential electric field components on the reflecting surface. Lower and higher band RAs are implemented on 30 × 30 cm2 and 18 × 18 cm2 Rogers 4003 substrate, respectively. Finally, the whole structure is simulated with CST software and shows a good agreement between the simulation and the ideal patterns at two bands. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 26:690-702, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this work, the issues of bandwidth enhancement of planar antennas and the relevance of precise and automated response control through numerical optimization have been investigated. Using an example of a planar antenna with parasitic radiator we illustrate possible effects of even minor modifications of the antenna geometry (here, applied to the ground plane) on its reflection performance. In particular, a proper handling of geometry parameters may lead to considerable broadening of the antenna bandwidth. For the sake of computational efficiency, the adjustment of geometry parameters is carried out using surrogate-based optimization methods exploiting coarse-discretization EM simulations as the underlying low-fidelity antenna model. Additionally, suitably defined penalty function allows us to precisely control the maximum in-band reflection so that sufficient margin to accommodate possible manufacturing tolerances can be achieved. The optimized designs of the two antenna structures considered in this work exhibit over 1.75 GHz (>31%) and 2.15 GHz (>38%) bandwidth, respectively, for the center frequency of 5.6 GHz. Simulation results are validated using measurements of the fabricated prototypes. Comparison with state-of-the-art designs is also provided. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 26:653-659, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates optimal reinsurance strategies for an insurer which cedes the insured risk to multiple reinsurers. Assume that the insurer and every reinsurer apply the coherent risk measures. Then, we find out the necessary and sufficient conditions for the reinsurance market to achieve Pareto optimum; that is, every ceded-loss function and the retention function are in the form of “multiple layers reinsurance.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses 2-norm degree and coefficient of variation on degree to analyze the basic characteristics and to discuss the robustness of scale-free networks. And we design two optimal nonlinear mixed integer programming schemes to investigate the optimal robustness and analyze the characteristic parameters of different schemes. In this paper, we can obtain the optimal values of the corresponding parameters of optimal designs, and we find that coefficient of variation is a better measure than 2-norm degree and two-step degree to study the robustness of scale-free networks. Meanwhile, we discover that there is a tradeoff among the robustness, the degree, and the cost of scale-free networks, and we find that when average degree equals 6, this point is a tradeoff point between the robustness and cost of scale-free networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of daylighting, an innovative parabolic trough solar lighting and thermal (PTL/T) system is designed and analyzed in this paper. Parabolic trough solar lighting and thermal system uses parabolic trough collector (PTC) controlled by two-axis solar tracking system as solar collector. The collected sunlight is split by a cold mirror into visible light and infrared. The visible light is reflected by cold mirror, re-concentrated by a second-stage Fresnel lens, and then delivered by plastic optical fiber to the buildings for daylighting. The infrared goes through cold mirror, reaches thermal system, and is used for heating generation. The basic structure of PTL/T was outlined and described. The dimension of fiber bundle and parabolic trough was chosen after an optimal analysis. The cost of illuminating unit area was expressed as a function of illumination space dimensions and critical components efficiency. A case study was conducted to get a specific optimized illumination area and PTC area for the first time. The optimized result is to use 8-m2 PTC as collector to illuminate 500-m2 office space. The total solar energy utilization efficiency is 39.4%, with the lighting efficiency of 16.3% and thermal efficiency of 23.1%. The maximum energy savings and simple payback period were calculated for 10 typical cities when applied in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The amounts of greenhouse gas-emission reductions were also calculated. The payback period in Sunbelt region is as low as less than 10 years like in Los Angeles. The results show the proposed PTL/T system is competitive compared with traditional solar energy systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper combined with the adaptive principle to improve the genetic algorithms (GA) and applied it to optimal design of the shape of the concrete face rock-fill dam (CFRD). Based on the improved GA, a mathematical model was established for the design optimization of CFRD. CFRD utilizes dam cost as objective function and dam slope and geometries of the dam material partition as design variables. Dam stability, stress, displacement, and stress level are used as the main condition constraints. The calculation procedures were prepared, and the GA was used to optimize the design of Jishixia CFRD. Results show that the GA could solve the global optimal solution problem of complex optimization design, such as the high degree of nonlinearity and the recessiveness of constraint conditions, and using the GA to optimize the CFRD design can reduce the quantities of projects and engineering safety costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A considerable difference between experimental and theoretical results has been observed in the studies of segmented thermoelectric generators (STEGs). Because of simplicity, the approximate methods are widely used for design and optimization of the STEGs. This study is focused on employment of exact method for design and optimization of STEGs and comparison of exact and approximate results. Thus, using new highly efficient thermoelectric materials, four STEGs are proposed to operate in the temperature range of 300 to 1300 kelvins. The proposed STEGs are optimally designed to achieve maximum efficiency. Design and performance characteristics of the optimized generators including maximum conversion efficiency and length of elements are calculated through both exact and approximate methods. The comparison indicates that the approximate method can cause a difference up to 20% in calculation of some design characteristics despite its appropriate results in efficiency calculation. The results also show that the maximum theoretical efficiency of 23.08% is achievable using the new proposed STEGs. Compatibility factor of the selected materials for the proposed STEGs is also calculated using both exact and approximate methods. The comparison indicates a negligible difference in calculation of compatibility factor, despite the considerable difference in calculation of reduced efficiency (temperature independence efficiency). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optimal procedure for the design of rotor blade that generates low vibratory hub loads in nonaxial flow conditions is presented and applied to a helicopter rotor in forward flight, a condition where vibrations and noise become severe. Blade shape and structural properties are the design parameters to be identified within a binary genetic optimization algorithm under aeroelastic stability constraint. The process exploits an aeroelastic solver that is based on a nonlinear, beam-like model, suited for the analysis of arbitrary curved-elastic-axis blades, with the introduction of a surrogate wake inflow model for the analysis of sectional aerodynamic loads. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the capability of the proposed approach to identify low vibratory hub loads rotor blades as well as to assess the robustness of solution at off-design operating conditions. Further, the aeroacoustic assessment of the rotor configurations determined is carried out in order to examine the impact of low-vibration blade design on the emitted noise field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid uncertain model is introduced to deal with the uncertainties existing in a disc brake system in this paper. By the hybrid uncertain model, the uncertain parameters of the brake with enough sampling data are treated as probabilistic variables, while the uncertain parameters with limited data are treated as interval probabilistic variables whose distribution parameters are expressed as interval variables. Based on the hybrid uncertain model, the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of a disc brake with hybrid uncertainties is proposed to explore the optimal design for squeal reduction. In the optimization, the surrogate model of the real part of domain unstable eigenvalue of the brake system is established, and the upper bound of its expectation is adopted as the optimization objective. The lower bounds of the functions related to system stability, the mass, and the stiffness of design component are adopted as the optimization constraints. The combinational algorithm of Genetic Algorithm and Monte-Carlo method is employed to perform the optimization. The results of a numerical example demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed optimization on improving system stability and reducing squeal propensity of a disc brake under hybrid uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports a tooth profile modification method of spur gear. After establishing a standardized mathematical model for optimized tooth profile and simulating meshing process with ANSYS finite element analysis, we obtained 625 groups of gear models with different modification parameters. The group with minimum transmission errors owns the optimal parameters. Genetic algorithm was adopted in the entire process for the purpose of reducing the variation of transmission errors in meshing process. The arc and parabolic modification were doing the same processing. After comparing the transmission errors fluctuation produced by the meshing process of gear of nonmodification with arc modification and parabolic modification, we found that the best modification effects of arc modification and parabolic modification were both reduced by 90%. The modification method makes the gear drive process more stable and efficient, and it is also promising in general application for gear drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an optimal design process for the steering system of a forklift vehicle. An efficient procedure for minimizing the engine-induced idle vibration is developed in this study. Reciprocating unbalance and gas pressure torque as two major sources of engine excitation are studied. Using the field vibration tests and FEM analysis, the cause and characteristics of steering system’s idle vibration are recognized. So as to distribute the characteristic modes based on the optimization strategy, global sensitivity analysis of the main parameters is also carried out to achieve the optimal combination of the optimization factors. Based on all analysis above, some structure modifications for optimization are presented to control the idle vibration. The effectiveness and rationality of the improvements are also verified through experimental prototyping testing. This study also makes it possible to provide a design guideline using CAE (computer aided engineering) analysis for some other objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are high demands for research of new device with greater accessing speed and stability to replace the current SRAM storage cell. The resistive random access memory (ReRAM) is a metal oxide which is based on nonvolatile memory device possessing the characteristics of high read/write speed, high storage density, low power, low cost, very small cell, being nonvolatile, and unlimited writing endurance. The device has extreme short erasing time and the stored charge cannot be destroyed after power-off. Therefore, the ReRAM device is a significant storage device for many applications in the next generation. In this paper, we first explored the mechanism of the ReRAM device based on ion mobility model and then applied this device to optimize the design of FPGA switching matrix. The results show that it is beneficial to enhance the FPGA performance to replace traditional SRAM cells with ReRAM cells for the switching matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributed order concept, which is a parallel connection of fractional order integrals and derivatives taken to the infinitesimal limit in delta order, has been the main focus in many engineering areas recently. On the other hand, there are few numerical methods available for analyzing distributed order systems, particularly under stochastic forcing. This paper proposes a novel numerical scheme for analyzing the behavior of a distributed order linear single input single output control system under random forcing. The method is based on the operational matrix technique to handle stochastic distributed order systems. The existing Monte Carlo, polynomial chaos, and frequency methods were first adapted to the stochastic distributed order system for comparison. Numerical examples were used to illustrate the accuracy and computational efficiency of the proposed method for the analysis of stochastic distributed order systems. The stability of the systems under stochastic perturbations can also be inferred easily from the moment of random output obtained using the proposed method. Based on the hybrid spectral framework, the optimal design was elaborated on by minimizing the suitably defined constrained-optimization problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrying capacity is the most important performance index for slewing bearings. Maximizing the carrying capacity of slewing bearing is one pursuing goal for the bearing designer; this is usually realized by optimizing the design parameters. A method of analyzing the carrying capacity of double-row four-point contact ball slewing bearing by using dynamic carrying capacity surfaces was proposed in this paper. Based on the dynamic load carrying capacity surface of the slewing bearing, the effect of changes of the bearing design parameters, such as axial clearance, raceway groove radius coefficient, and contact angle, on the dynamic carrying capacity of the slewing bearing was researched; the trend and the degree of the effect of the micro changes of the bearing design parameters on the dynamic load carrying capacity of the bearing were discussed, and the results provide the basis for optimizing the design parameter of this type of slewing bearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searches for supersymmetry (SUSY) at the LHC frequently assume the conservation of R-parity in their design, optimization, and interpretation. In the case that R-parity is not conserved, constraints on SUSY particle masses tend to be weakened with respect to R-parity-conserving models. We review the current status of searches for R-parity-violating (RPV) supersymmetry models at the ATLAS and CMS experiments, limited to 8 TeV search results published or submitted for publication as of the end of March 2015. All forms of renormalisable RPV terms leading to prompt signatures have been considered in the set of analyses under review. Discussing results for searches for prompt R-parity-violating SUSY signatures summarizes the main constraints for various RPV models from LHC Run I and also defines the basis for promising signal regions to be optimized for Run II. In addition to identifying highly constrained regions from existing searches, also gaps in the coverage of the parameter space of RPV SUSY are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Design centering is a design problem which looks for nominal values of circuit parameters that maximize the probability of satisfying the design specification (yield function). Direct yield optimization of electromagnetic (EM)-based circuits is obstructed by the high expense of EM simulations required in the yield estimation process. Also, the absence of any gradient information represents an obstacle against the optimization process. In this article, a new approach for design centering and yield optimization of EM-based circuits is introduced. In the proposed approach, the generalized space mapping (SM) technique is incorporated with a derivative-free trust region optimization method (NEWUOA). Moreover, a variance reduction sampling technique is implemented in the yield estimation process. Two techniques suitable for the microwave circuit design centering process are introduced. The first technique exploits the surrogate developed using any circuit optimizer, for example, minimax optimizer, in the yield maximization process. While the second technique iteratively constructs and updates an SM surrogate during the yield optimization process. Our novel approach is illustrated by practical examples showing its efficiency. One of the examples is entirely designed within the sonnet em environment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 25:474-484, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of space technology, asteroid exploration will become a hotspot in the deep space exploration field. Space flight trajectory has the following requirements: needing a long time, having many engineering constraints, having a large number of targets, and having a series of feasible solutions. So how to find the global optimum flight program is the core issue of the deep space exploration trajectory design. This paper proposes a novel method to design the optimal trajectory by differential evolution (DE) algorithm for asteroid exploration based on mixed coding. In our method, the celestial sequence and the time sequence are coded together into the chromosomes of DE and optimized them simultaneously. The chromosomes are designed to include four parts: the celestial sequence, the exploration type, the time sequence, and the return time. The algorithm can make full use of the characteristics of the high efficiency and global optimization ability of differential evolution and can also avoid the problem of high complexity of the branch-and-bound algorithm and the problem of nonglobal optimal solution of the greedy algorithm. The algorithm is adopted to solve the Fourth Contest of National Space Orbit Design in China, and the result shows that both the computational efficiency and the performance of the algorithm are superior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) based wind pressure sensor (WPS) for structural surfaces is introduced, and wind pressure-strain conversion model as well as temperature compensation method is established. By using finite element analysis, the design of the wind-bearing carrier of the WPS is optimized such that the nominal measured values by the FBGs are maximized under the action of fundamental wind pressures suggested in codes. Furthermore, sensing characteristics of the WPS, as well as its static wind safety, pressure stability, and dynamic stability during operation, are investigated. Results demonstrate that the design scheme for the WPS, which is of good object sensing properties and working performance, is technically feasible. The final prototype of WPS is developed according to the proposed optimized design scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrust bearing is one part with the highest failure rate in hydroturbine generator set, which is primarily due to heavy axial load. Such heavy load often makes oil film destruction, bearing friction, and even burning. It is necessary to study the load and the reduction method. The dynamic thrust is an important factor to influence the axial load and reduction design of electromagnetic device. Therefore, in the paper, combined with the structure features of vertical turbine, the hydraulic thrust is analyzed accurately. Then, take the turbine model HL-220-LT-550, for instance; the electromagnetic levitation load reduction device is designed, and its mathematical model is built, whose purpose is to minimize excitation loss and total quality under the constraints of installation space, connection layout, and heat dissipation. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is employed to search for the optimum solution; finally, the result is verified by finite element method (FEM), which demonstrates that the optimized structure is more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) systems have been used globally for a long time to supply electricity for water pumping system for irrigation. System cost drops down with time since PV technology, efficiency, and design methodology have been improved and cost of wattage drops dramatically in the last decade. In the present paper optimum PV system design for water pumping system has been proposed for Oman. Intuitive and numerical methods were used to design the system. HOMER software as a numerical method was used to design the system to come up with optimum design for Oman. Also, REPS.OM software has been used to find the optimum design based on hourly meteorological data. The daily solar energy in Sohar was found to be 6.182 kWh/m2·day. However, it is found that the system annual yield factor is 2024.66 kWh/kWp. Furthermore, the capacity factor was found to be 23.05%, which is promising. The cost of energy and system capital cost has been compared with that of diesel generator and systems in literature. The comparison shows that the cost of energy is 0.180, 0.309, and 0.790 USD/kWh for PV-REPS.OM, PV-HOMER, and diesel systems, respectively, which sound that PV water pumping systems are promising in Oman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Harmony Search (HS) method is an emerging metaheuristic optimization algorithm, which has been employed to cope with numerous challenging tasks during the past decade. In this paper, the essential theory and applications of the HS algorithm are first described and reviewed. Several typical variants of the original HS are next briefly explained. As an example of case study, a modified HS method inspired by the idea of Pareto-dominance-based ranking is also presented. It is further applied to handle a practical wind generator optimal design problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]