Introduction to Optimum Design, 2nd Edition

2 Optimum Design Problem Formulation

Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to:

• Translate a descriptive statement of the design problem into a mathematical statement for optimization using a five-step process

• Identify and define the problem’s design variables

• Identify a function for the problem that needs to be optimized

• Identify and define the problem’s constraints

It is generally accepted that the proper definition and formulation of a problem takes roughly 50 percent of the total effort needed to solve it. Therefore, it is critical to follow well defined procedures for formulating design optimization problems. It is generally assumed in this text that various preliminary analyses have been completed and a detailed design ...