Computational methods for aerodynamic shape design

In this paper, various computational methods for shape design in aerodynamics are reviewed. A classification system based on the mathematical structure of the methods is introduced. The fundamental ideas of different formulations are discussed, and the algorithms are described. The advantages and well-known disadvantages of different methods are also briefly discussed.     

Efficient computational methods for singular free boundary problems using smoothing variable substitutions

We study a class of singular free boundary problems for the degenerate m$m$-Laplacian. Taking into account the behavior of the solution in the neighborhood of the singular points, a variable substitution is introduced, which makes the solution smooth in all the domain. Then, a standard finite difference scheme is used to discretize the problem. The numerical results suggest that in this way the second order convergence of the finite difference scheme is recovered, in spite of the singularities.     

Effective direct methods for aerodynamic shape optimization

A direct method for aerodynamic shape optimization based on the use of Bézier spline approximation is proposed. The method is tested as applied to the optimization of the supersonic part of an axisymmetric de Laval nozzle. The optimization results are compared with the exact solution obtained by the control contour method (variational nozzle) and with nozzles constructed using another direct method, namely, local linearization. It is shown that both direct optimization methods can be used on rather coarse grids without degrading the accuracy of the solution. The optimization procedure involves the isoperimetric condition that the surface area of the nozzle is given and fixed, which prevents the use of the control contour method. Optimization with allowance for viscosity is performed using the method. For fairly short maximum possible nozzle lengths in the range of Reynolds numbers under consideration, it is shown that allowance for viscosity does not improve the nozzle shape produced by optimization based on the Euler equations. The role of viscosity is reduced to the determination of an optimal length.     

One-shot multigrid method for aerodynamic shape optimization

This paper presents a numerical method for aerodynamic shape optimization problems. It is based on simultaneous pseudotime-stepping in which the optimality is reached simultaneously with the state and costate feasibility. An optimization-based multigrid strategy results in efficient convergence of the method. The total effort of optimization is less than two forward simulation runs. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Simultaneous pseudo-time stepping for aerodynamic shape optimization

In this paper we discuss about numerical methods for aerodynamic shape optimization problems. These problems require efficient CFD techniques to solve the state (as well as costate) equations and fast algorithms for solving the optimization problems. Both of these are independent active areas of research since long time. Wide range of applications in science and engineering involve solution of optimization problems where the governing PDEs appear as constraints. Therefore, merging the two for the purpose of practical applicability is relatively new. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Frequency based preconditioning and smoothing for shape optimization

In this paper, we present a smoothing technique which can be understood as a Quasi-Newton method. The idea of this preconditioner is that it approximates the symbol of the inverse Hessian, which has smoothing behavior. This symbol is derived analytically for the Stokes equations and investigated numerically for a flow with a Reynolds number of 80. The resulting symbol is then approximated by differential operators, which will lead to a method similar to Sobolev Smoothing. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optimal control computation for integro-differential aerodynamic equations

In order to maintain spectrally accurate solutions, the grids on which a non-linear physical problem is to be solved must also be obtained by spectrally accurate techniques. The purpose of this paper is to describe a pseudospectral computational method of solving integro-differential systems with quadratic performance index. The proposed method is based on the idea of relating grid points to the structure of orthogonal interpolating polynomials. The optimal control and the trajectory are approximated by the m th degree interpolating polynomial. This interpolating polynomial is spectrally constructed using Legendre–Gauss–Lobatto grid points as the collocation points, and Lagrange polynomials as trial functions. The integrals involved in the formulation of the problem are calculated by Gauss–Lobatto integration rule, thereby reducing the problem to a mathematical programming one to which existing well-developed algorithms may be applied. The method is easy to implement and yields very accurate results. An illustrative example is included to confirm the convergence of the pseudospectral Legendre method, and a comparison is made with an existing result in the literature. © 1998 B. G. Teubner Stuttgart–John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

一个新的边界层方程及其在形状控制中的应用

本文给出固壁边界上(即一个二维流形上) 的流体速度梯度和压力的二阶偏微分方程, 从而也给出边界上法向应力, 以及流体中运动物体所受的阻力和升力的计算公式. 本方法的创新在于边界上法向速度梯度不是通过在边界层内速度梯度的数值微分达到, 而是通过它与其他变量一起作为一组偏微分方程的解而得到, 证明边界层方程组的适定性问题, 并且给出解关于边界形状的Gâteaux 导数所满足的偏微分方程. 本文将本方法应用于飞机外形的形状最优控制, 给出阻力泛函关于形状第一变分的可计算形式. 数值例子表明, 用本方法得到的阻力精度比通用程序得到要高.     

The boundary element formulation for multiparameter structural shape optimization

A problem of optimal shaping of a free and loaded boundary has been formulated in terms of the boundary element method. A maximal stiffness criterion together with the limitation of volume of a body has been used. The problem has been solved with the application of integral optimality conditions being defined on an optimal boundary. Discretization of a boundary and optimality conditions respectively, with the aid of boundary elements, leads to an iterative procedure, from which one can determine the shape parameters generating the position of the optimal boundary.     

A framework for robust and flexible optimisation using metaheuristics

This is a summary of the most important results presented in the authors PhD thesis. This thesis, written in English, was defended on 13 June 2003 and supervised by Johan Springael and Gerrit K. Janssens. A copy is available from the author upon request. This PhD thesis focuses on stochastic problems and develops a framework to find robust and flexible solutions of such problems. The framework is applied to several well-known problems in the realm of supply chain design. Besides this framework, the thesis contains several other important contributions. A new type of robustness and flexibility is proposed, that expresses the need for solutions to remain approximately the same when changes occur in the problem data. Several distance measures are developed to calculate the distance (or similarity) between solutions of different permutation type problems. A new type of genetic algorithm is also proposed, that uses a distance measure to maintain a diverse population of high-quality solutions.Received: June 2003     

Discrete transparent boundary conditions for the equation of rod transverse vibrations

Local perturbations of an infinitely long rod travel to infinity. On the contrary, in the case of a finite length of the rod, the perturbations reach its boundary and are reflected. The boundary conditions constructed here for the implicit difference scheme imitate the Cauchy problem and provide almost no reflection. These boundary conditions are non-local with respect to time, and their practical implementation requires additional calculations at every time step. To minimise them, a special rational approximation, similar to the Hermite - Padé approximation is used. Numerical experiments confirm the high “transparency” of these boundary conditions and determine the conditional stability regions for finite-difference scheme.     

Discrete artificial boundary conditions for nonlinear Schrödinger equations

In this work we construct and analyze discrete artificial boundary conditions (ABCs) for different finite difference schemes to solve nonlinear Schrödinger equations. These new discrete boundary conditions are motivated by the continuous ABCs recently obtained by the potential strategy of Szeftel. Since these new nonlinear ABCs are based on the discrete ABCs for the linear problem we first review the well-known results for the linear Schrödinger equation. We present our approach for a couple of finite difference schemes, including the Crank–Nicholson scheme, the Dùran–Sanz-Serna scheme, the DuFort–Frankel method and several split-step (fractional-step) methods such as the Lie splitting, the Strang splitting and the relaxation scheme of Besse. Finally, several numerical tests illustrate the accuracy and stability of our new discrete approach for the considered finite difference schemes.     

Adaptive meshless Galerkin boundary node methods for hypersingular integral equations

Adaptive refinement techniques are developed in this paper for the meshless Galerkin boundary node method for hypersingular boundary integral equations. Two types of error estimators are derived. One is a perturbation error estimator that is formulated based on the difference between numerical solutions obtained using two consecutive nodal arrangements. The other is a projection error estimator that is formulated based on the difference between the numerical solution itself and its projection. These error estimators are proven to have an upper and a lower bound by the constant multiples of the exact error in the energy norm. A localization scheme is presented to accomodate the non-local property of hypersingular integral operators for the needed computable local error indicators. The convergence of the adaptive meshless techniques is verified theoretically. To confirm the theoretical results and to show the efficiency of the adaptive techniques, numerical examples in 2D and 3D with high singularities are provided.     

An efficient method for calculating smoothing splines using orthogonal transformations

Summary A procedure for calculating the mean squared residual and the trace of the influence matrix associated with a polynomial smoothing spline of degree 2m–1 using an orthogonal factorization is presented. The procedure substantially overcomes the problem of ill-conditioning encountered by a recently developed method which employs a Cholesky factorization, but still requires only orderm ² n operations and ordermn storage.     

Suboptimal shape control for quasi-static distributed-parameter systems

We propose an on-line control approach which will adjust the steady-state shape of a large antenna arbitrarily close to any achievable desired profile. The method makes use of distributed-parameter system theory and allows refocusing using a limited number of control actuators and sensors.The controller gains are calculated by approximating the solution to an infinite-dimensional optimal quasi-static control problem. The controller gain calculation is computationally simpler than that proposed in a companion paper. The Galerkin (finite element) approximation method is used for model reduction. We prove that both gain and state convergence can be achieved by using the proposed approximation scheme.This work was partially supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Grant No. AFOSR 83-0124, and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Grant No. NAG-1-515.