Variable fidelity modeling as applied to trajectory optimization for a hydraulic backhoe

Show full item record

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1853/28146

Title: Variable fidelity modeling as applied to trajectory optimization for a hydraulic backhoe
Author: Moore, Roxanne Adele
Abstract: Modeling, simulation, and optimization play vital roles throughout the engineering design process; however, in many design disciplines the cost of simulation is high, and designers are faced with a tradeoff between the number of alternatives that can be evaluated and the accuracy with which they can be evaluated. In this thesis, a methodology is presented for using models of various levels of fidelity during the optimization process. The intent is to use inexpensive, low-fidelity models with limited accuracy to recognize poor design alternatives and reserve the high-fidelity, accurate, but also expensive models only to characterize the best alternatives. Specifically, by setting a user-defined performance threshold, the optimizer can explore the design space using a low-fidelity model by default, and switch to a higher fidelity model only if the performance threshold is attained. In this manner, the high fidelity model is used only to discern the best solution from the set of good solutions, so that computational resources are conserved until the optimizer is close to the solution. This makes the optimization process more efficient without sacrificing the quality of the solution. The method is illustrated by optimizing the trajectory of a hydraulic backhoe. To characterize the robustness and efficiency of the method, a design space exploration is performed using both the low and high fidelity models, and the optimization problem is solved multiple times using the variable fidelity framework.
Type: Thesis
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1853/28146
Date: 2009-04-08
Publisher: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject: Modeling
Variable-fidelity
Simulation
Optimization
Backhoe
Fluid power
Hydrualics
Backhoes
Trajectory optimization
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Committee Chair: Paredis, Chris; Committee Member: Bras, Bert; Committee Member: Burkhart, Roger; Committee Member: Choi, Seung-Kyum
Degree: M.S.

Items in SMARTech are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Files in this item

Files Size Format View
moore_roxanne_a_200905_mast.pdf 1.914Mb PDF View/ Open

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show full item record