DESIGN SEARCH UNDER PROBABILISTIC SPECIFICATIONS USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS

In this paper a specification-based design evaluation method is presen ted and applied to optimization using genetic algorithms. The evaluati on model is intended to emulate how specifications are used by product designers in a concurrent design environment. The approach allows des igners to formulate optimization problems in terms of design specifica tions. The method is intended for a wide variety of design application s, including the location of feasible designs or starting points for o ther mathematical programming techniques. The model is demonstrated th rough a computer implementation that uses a genetic optimization and s earch algorithm. The penalty-based objective formulation strives for d esigns which are acceptable according to specifications. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd