Inclusion of Geometrically Nonlinear Aeroelastic Effects into Gradient-Based Aircraft Optimization

While aircraft have largely featured flexible wings for decades, more recently, aircraft structures have rapidly become more flexible. The pursuit of longer ranges and higher efficiency through higher aspect ratio wings, as well as the introduction of modern, light-weight materials has yielded moderately and very flexible aircraft configurations. Past accidents, such as the loss of the Helios High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft have highlighted the limitations of linear analysis methods and demonstrated the peril of neglecting nonlinear effects when designing such aircraft. In particular, accounting for geometrical nonlinearities in flutter analyses become necessary in aircraft optimization, including transport aircraft, or future aircraft may require costly modifications late in the design process to fulfill certification requirements. As a result, there is a need to account for geometrical nonlinearities earlier in the design process and integrate these analyses directly into the multi-disciplinary design optimization (MDO) problems. This thesis investigates geometrically nonlinear flutter problems and how these should be integrated into aircraft MDO problems. First, flutter problems with and without geometrical nonlinearities are discussed and a unifying interpretation is presented. Furthermore, methods for interpreting nonlinear flutter problems are proposed and differences between linear and nonlinear flutter problem interpretation are discussed. Next, a flutter constraint formulation which accounts for geometrically nonlinear effects using beam-based analyses is presented. The resulting constraint uses a Kreisselmeiser-Steinhauser aggregation function to yield a scalar constraint from flight envelope flutter damping values. While the constraint enforces feasibility over the entire flight envelope, how the flight envelope is sampled largely determines the flutter constraint’s accuracy. To this end, a constrained Maximin approach, which is applicable for non-hypercube spaces, is used to sample the flight envelope and obtain a low-discrepancy sample set. The flutter constraint is then implemented using a beam-based geometrically nonlinear aeroelastic simulation code, UM/NAST. As gradient-based optimization methods are used in MDO due to the large number of design variables in aircraft design problems, the flutter constraint requires the recovery of flutter damping sensitivities. These are obtained by applying algorithmic differentiation (AD) to the UM/NAST code base. This enables the recovery of gradients for any solution type (static, modal, dynamic, and flutter/stability) with respect to any local design variable available within UM/NAST. The performance of the gradient prediction is studied and a hybrid primal-AD scheme is developed to obtain the coupled nonlinear aeroelastic sensitivities. After verifying the accuracy and performance of the gradient evaluation, the flutter constraint was implemented in a sample optimization problem. Finally, a roadmap for including the beam-based flutter constraint within an aircraft design problem is presented using analyses of varying fidelity. To this end, analyses of appropriate fidelity are used depending on the output of interest. While a shell-based FEM model can recover stress distributions, and is therefore well-suited for strength constraints, they are ill-suited for geometrically nonlinear flutter constraints due to their computational cost. Analyses are presented for a high aspect ratio transport aircraft configuration to illustrate the proposed approach and highlight the necessity for the inclusion of a geometrically nonlinear flutter constraint.PHDAerospace EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163259/1/clupp_1.pd

Optimization of adaptive test design methods for the determination of steady-state data-driven models in terms of combustion engine calibration

This thesis deals with the development of a model-based adaptive test design strategy with a focus on steady-state combustion engine calibration. The first research topic investigates the question how to handle limits in the input domain during an adaptive test design procedure. The second area of scope aims at identifying the test design method providing the best model quality improvement in terms of overall model prediction error. To consider restricted areas in the input domain, a convex hull-based solution involving a convex cone algorithm is developed, the outcome of which serves as a boundary model for a test point search. A solution is derived to enable the application of the boundary model to high-dimensional problems without calculating the exact convex hull and cones. Furthermore, different data-driven engine modeling methods are compared, resulting in the Gaussian process model as the most suitable one for a model-based calibration. To determine an appropriate test design method for a Gaussian process model application, two new strategies are developed and compared to state-of-the-art methods. A simulation-based study shows the most benefit applying a modified mutual information test design, followed by a newly developed relevance-based test design with less computational effort. The boundary model and the relevance-based test design are integrated into a multicriterial test design strategy that is tailored to match the requirements of combustion engine test bench measurements. A simulation-based study with seven and nine input parameters and four outputs each offered an average model quality improvement of 36 % and an average measured input area volume increase of 65 % compared to a non-adaptive space-filling test design. The multicriterial test design was applied to a test bench measurement with seven inputs for verification. Compared to a space-filling test design measurement, the improvement could be confirmed with an average model quality increase of 17 % over eight outputs and a 34 % larger measured input area

Optimization of adaptive test design methods for the determination of steady-state data-driven models in terms of combustion engine calibration

This thesis deals with the development of a model-based adaptive test design strategy with a focus on steady-state combustion engine calibration. The first research topic investigates the question how to handle limits in the input domain during an adaptive test design procedure. The second area of scope aims at identifying the test design method providing the best model quality improvement in terms of overall model prediction error. To consider restricted areas in the input domain, a convex hull-based solution involving a convex cone algorithm is developed, the outcome of which serves as a boundary model for a test point search. A solution is derived to enable the application of the boundary model to high-dimensional problems without calculating the exact convex hull and cones. Furthermore, different data-driven engine modeling methods are compared, resulting in the Gaussian process model as the most suitable one for a model-based calibration. To determine an appropriate test design method for a Gaussian process model application, two new strategies are developed and compared to state-of-the-art methods. A simulation-based study shows the most benefit applying a modified mutual information test design, followed by a newly developed relevance-based test design with less computational effort. The boundary model and the relevance-based test design are integrated into a multicriterial test design strategy that is tailored to match the requirements of combustion engine test bench measurements. A simulation-based study with seven and nine input parameters and four outputs each offered an average model quality improvement of 36 % and an average measured input area volume increase of 65 % compared to a non-adaptive space-filling test design. The multicriterial test design was applied to a test bench measurement with seven inputs for verification. Compared to a space-filling test design measurement, the improvement could be confirmed with an average model quality increase of 17 % over eight outputs and a 34 % larger measured input area

Application of Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation Frameworks for Engine Mapping and Calibration

With ever-increasing numbers of engine actuators to calibrate within increasingly stringent emissions legislation, the engine mapping and calibration task of identifying optimal actuator settings is much more difficult. The aim of this research is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation (MDO) frameworks to optimise the multi-attribute steady state engine calibration optimisation problems. Accordingly, this research is concentrated on two aspects of the steady state engine calibration optimisation: 1) development of a sequential Design of Experiment (DoE) strategy to enhance the steady state engine mapping process, and 2) application of different MDO architectures to optimally calibrate the complex engine applications. The validation of this research is based on two case studies, the mapping and calibration optimisation of a JLR AJ133 Jaguar GDI engine; and calibration optimisation of an EU6 Jaguar passenger car diesel engine. These case studies illustrated that: -The proposed sequential DoE strategy offers a coherent framework for the engine mapping process including Screening, Model Building, and Model Validation sequences. Applying the DoE strategy for the GDI engine case study, the number of required engine test points was reduced by 30 – 50 %. - The MDO optimisation frameworks offer an effective approach for the steady state engine calibration, delivering a considerable fuel economy benefits. For instance, the MDO/ATC calibration solution reduced the fuel consumption over NEDC drive cycle for the GDI engine case study (i.e. with single injection strategy) by 7.11%, and for the diesel engine case study by 2.5%, compared to the benchmark solutions.UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB

Powerful modifications of William' test on trend

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Design Preference Elicitation, Identification and Estimation.

Understanding user preference has long been a challenging topic in the design research community. Econometric methods have been adopted to link design and market, achieving design solutions sound from both engineering and business perspectives. This approach, however, only refines existing designs from revealed or stated preference data. What is needed for generating new designs is an environment for concept exploration and a channel to collect and analyze preferences on newly-explored concepts. This dissertation focuses on the development of querying techniques that learn and extract individual preferences efficiently. Throughout the dissertation, we work in the context of a human-computer interaction where in each iteration the subject is asked to choose preferred designs out of a set. The computer learns from the subject and creates the next query set so that the responses from the subject will yield the most information on the subject's preferences. The challenges of this research are: (1) To learn subject preferences within short interactions with enormous candidate designs; (2) To facilitate real-time interactions with efficient computation. Three problems are discussed surrounding how information-rich queries can be made. The major effort is devoted to preference elicitation, where we discuss how to locate the most preferred design of a subject. Using efficient global optimization, we develop search algorithms that combine exploration of new concepts and exploitation of existing knowledge, achieving near-optimal solutions with a small number of queries. For design demonstration, the elicitation algorithm is incorporated with an online 3D car modeler. The effectiveness of the algorithm is confirmed by real user tests on finding car models close to the users' targets. In preference identification, we consider designs as binary labeled, and the objective is to classify preferred designs from not-preferred ones. We show that this classification problem can be formulated and solved by the same active learning technique used for preference estimation, where the objective is to estimate a preference function. Conceptually, this dissertation discusses how to extract preference information effectively by asking relevant but not redundant questions during an interaction.Ph.D.Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91578/1/yiren_1.pd

Risk-based decision support system for life cycle management of industrials plants

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de ComputadoresThe objective of this thesis is to contribute for a better understanding of the decision making process in industrial plants specifically in situations with impact in the long term performance of the plant. The way decisions are made, and especially the motivations that lead to the selection of a specific course of action, are sometimes unclear and lack on justification. This is particularly critical in cases where inappropriate decisions drive to an increase on the production costs. Industrial plants are part of these cases, specifically the ones that are still lacking enhanced monitoring technologies and associated decision support systems. Maintenance has been identified as one of the critical areas regarding impact on performance. This is due to the fact that maintenance costs still represent a considerable slice of the production costs. Thus, understanding the way maintenance procedures are executed, and more important, the methods used to decide when maintenance should be developed and how, have been a concern of decision makers in industrial plants. This thesis proposes a methodology to efficiently transform the existing information on the plant behaviour into knowledge that may be used to support the decision process in maintenance activities. The development of an appropriate knowledge model relating the core aspects of the process enables the extraction of new knowledge based on the past experience. This thesis proposes also a methodology to calculate the risk associated to each maintenance situation and, based on the possible actions and on the impacts they may have in the plant costs performance, suggests the most appropriate course. The suggestion is made aiming the minimization of the life cycle costs. Results have been validated in test cases performed both at simulation and real industrial environments. The results obtained at the tests cases demonstrated the feasibility of the developed methodology as well as its adequateness and applicability in the domain of interest

Resource management techniques for sustainable networks with energy harvesting nodes

Premi extraordinari doctorat UPC curs 2015-2016, àmbit Enginyeria de les TICThis dissertation proposes novel techniques for assigning resources of wireless networks by considering that the coverage radii are small, implying that some power consumption sinks not considered so far shouldnow be introduced, and by considering that the devices are battery-powered terminals provided with energy harvesting capabilities. In this framework, two different configurations in terms of harvesting capabilities are considered. First, we assume that the energy source is external and not controllable, e.g. solar energy. In this context, the proposed design should adapt to the energy that is currently being harvested. We also study the effect of having a finite backhaul connection that links the wireless access network with the core network. On the other hand, we propose a design in which the transmitter feeds actively the receivers with energy by transmitting signals that receivers use for recharging their batteries. In this case, the power transfer design should be carried out jointly with the power control strategy for users that receive information as both procedures, transfer of information and transfer of power, are implemented at the transmitter and make use of a common resource, i.e., power. Apart from techniques for assigning the radio resources, this dissertation develops a procedure for switching on and off base stations. Concerning this, it is important to notice that the traffic profile is not constant throughout the day. This is precisely the feature that can be exploited to define a strategy based on a dynamic selection of the base stations to be switched off when the traffic load is low, without affecting the quality experienced by the users. Thanks to this procedure, we are able to deploy smaller energy harvesting sources and smaller batteries and, thus, to reduce the cost of the network deployment. Finally, we derive some procedures to optimize high level decisions of the network operation in which variables from several layers of the protocol stack are involved. In this context, admission control procedures for deciding which user should be connected to which base station are studied, taking into account information of the average channel information, the current battery levels, etc. A multi-tier multi-cell scenario is assumed in which base stations belonging to different tiers have different capabilities, e.g., transmission power, battery size, end energy harvesting source size. A set of strategies that require different computational complexity are derived for scenarios with different user mobility requirements.Aquesta tesis doctoral proposa tècniques per assignar els recursos disponibles a les xarxes wireless considerant que els radis de cobertura són petits, el que implica que altres fonts de consum d’energia no considerades fins al moment s’hagin d’introduir dins els dissenys, i considerant que els dispositius estan alimentats amb bateries finites i que tenen a la seva disposició fonts de energy harvesting. En aquest context, es consideren dues configuracions diferents en funció de les capacitats de l’energia harvesting. En primer lloc, s’assumirà que la font d’energia és externa i incontrolable com, per exemple, l’energia solar. Els dissenys proposats han d’adaptar-se a l’energia que s’està recol·lectant en un precís moment. En segon lloc, es proposa un disseny en el qual el transmissor és capaç d’enviar energia als receptors mitjançant senyals de radiofreqüència dissenyats per aquest fi, energia que és utilitzada per recarregar les bateries. A part de tècniques d’assignació de recursos radio, en aquesta tesis doctoral es desenvolupa un procediment dinàmic per apagar i encendre estacions base. És important notar que el perfil de tràfic no és constant al llarg del dia. Aquest és precisament el patró que es pot explotar per definir una estratègia dinàmica per poder decidir quines estaciones base han de ser apagades, tot això sense afectar la qualitat experimentada pels usuaris. Gràcies a aquest procediment, es possible desplegar fonts d'energy harvesting més petites i bateries més petites. Finalment, aquesta tesis doctoral presenta procediments per optimitzar decisions de nivell més alt que afecten directament al funcionament global de la xarxa d’accés. Per prendre aquestes decisions, es fa ús de diverses variables que pertanyen a diferents capes de la pila de protocols. En aquest context, aquesta tesis aborda el disseny de tècniques de control d’admissió d’usuaris a estacions base en entorns amb múltiples estacions base, basant-se amb la informació estadística dels canals, i el nivell actual de les bateries, entre altres. L'escenari considerat està format per múltiples estacions base, on cada estació base pertany a una família amb diferents capacitats, per exemple, potència de transmissió o mida de la bateria. Es deriven un conjunt de tècniques amb diferents costos computacionals que són d'utilitat per a poder aplicar a escenaris amb diferents mobilitats d’usuaris.Award-winningPostprint (published version