An infinite number of mathematical models can be created to describe naturally occurring physical systems. In addition there is a smaller, but large, number of criteria which can be used to measure the goodness of fit of a model to a physical process. Together, a selected criterion and a mathematical model define an objective function to be optimized.

During the last decade the techniques of non-linear optim ization have emerged as an important subject for study and research. The increasingly widespread application of optim ization has been stimulated by the availability of digital computers, and the necessity of using them in the investigation of large systems. This book is an introduction to non-linear methods of optimization and is suitable for undergraduate and post graduate courses in mathematics, the physical and social sciences, and engineering. The first half of the book covers the basic optimization techniques including linear search methods, steepest descent, least squares, and the Newton-Raphson method. These are described in detail, with worked numerical examples, since they form the basis from which advanced methods are derived. Since 1965 advanced methods of unconstrained and constrained optimization have been developed to utilise the computational power of the digital computer. The second half of the book describes fully important algorithms in current use such as variable metric methods for unconstrained problems and penalty function methods for constrained problems. Recent work, much of which has not yet been widely applied, is reviewed and compared with currently popular techniques under a few generic main headings. vi PREFACE Chapter I describes the optimization problem in mathemat ical form and defines the terminology used in the remainder of the book. Chapter 2 is concerned with single variable optimization. The main algorithms of both search and approximation methods are developed in detail since they are an essential part of many multi-variable methods.

Optimization is an important tool used in decision science and for the analysis of physical systems used in engineering. One can trace its roots to the Calculus of Variations and the work of Euler and Lagrange. This natural and reasonable approach to mathematical programming covers numerical methods for finite-dimensional optimization problems. It begins with very simple ideas progressing through more complicated concepts, concentrating on methods for both unconstrained and constrained optimization.

A comprehensive introduction to optimization with a focus on practical algorithms for the design of engineering systems. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to optimization with a focus on practical algorithms. The book approaches optimization from an engineering perspective, where the objective is to design a system that optimizes a set of metrics subject to constraints. Readers will learn about computational approaches for a range of challenges, including searching high-dimensional spaces, handling problems where there are multiple competing objectives, and accommodating uncertainty in the metrics. Figures, examples, and exercises convey the intuition behind the mathematical approaches. The text provides concrete implementations in the Julia programming language. Topics covered include derivatives and their generalization to multiple dimensions; local descent and first- and second-order methods that inform local descent; stochastic methods, which introduce randomness into the optimization process; linear constrained optimization, when both the objective function and the constraints are linear; surrogate models, probabilistic surrogate models, and using probabilistic surrogate models to guide optimization; optimization under uncertainty; uncertainty propagation; expression optimization; and multidisciplinary design optimization. Appendixes offer an introduction to the Julia language, test functions for evaluating algorithm performance, and mathematical concepts used in the derivation and analysis of the optimization methods discussed in the text. The book can be used by advanced undergraduates and graduate students in mathematics, statistics, computer science, any engineering field, (including electrical engineering and aerospace engineering), and operations research, and as a reference for professionals.

Technology/Engineering/Mechanical Provides all the tools needed to begin solving optimization problems using MATLAB® The Second Edition of Applied Optimization with MATLAB® Programming enables readers to harness all the features of MATLAB® to solve optimization problems using a variety of linear and nonlinear design optimization techniques. By breaking down complex mathematical concepts into simple ideas and offering plenty of easy-to-follow examples, this text is an ideal introduction to the field. Examples come from all engineering disciplines as well as science, economics, operations research, and mathematics, helping readers understand how to apply optimization techniques to solve actual problems. This Second Edition has been thoroughly revised, incorporating current optimization techniques as well as the improved MATLAB® tools. Two important new features of the text are: Introduction to the scan and zoom method, providing a simple, effective technique that works for unconstrained, constrained, and global optimization problems New chapter, Hybrid Mathematics: An Application, using examples to illustrate how optimization can develop analytical or explicit solutions to differential systems and data-fitting problems Each chapter ends with a set of problems that give readers an opportunity to put their new skills into practice. Almost all of the numerical techniques covered in the text are supported by MATLAB® code, which readers can download on the text's companion Web site www.wiley.com/go/venkat2e and use to begin solving problems on their own. This text is recommended for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in all areas of engineering as well as other disciplines that use optimization techniques to solve design problems.

The book is intended for graduate students and researchers in mathematics, computer science, and operational research. The book presents a new derivative-free optimization method/algorithm based on randomly generated trial points in specified domains and where the best ones are selected at each iteration by using a number of rules. This method is different from many other well established methods presented in the literature and proves to be competitive for solving many unconstrained optimization problems with different structures and complexities, with a relative large number of variables. Intensive numerical experiments with 140 unconstrained optimization problems, with up to 500 variables, have shown that this approach is efficient and robust. Structured into 4 chapters, Chapter 1 is introductory. Chapter 2 is dedicated to presenting a two level derivative-free random search method for unconstrained optimization. It is assumed that the minimizing function is continuous, lower bounded and its minimum value is known. Chapter 3 proves the convergence of the algorithm. In Chapter 4, the numerical performances of the algorithm are shown for solving 140 unconstrained optimization problems, out of which 16 are real applications. This shows that the optimization process has two phases: the reduction phase and the stalling one. Finally, the performances of the algorithm for solving a number of 30 large-scale unconstrained optimization problems up to 500 variables are presented. These numerical results show that this approach based on the two level random search method for unconstrained optimization is able to solve a large diversity of problems with different structures and complexities. There are a number of open problems which refer to the following aspects: the selection of the number of trial or the number of the local trial points, the selection of the bounds of the domains where the trial points and the local trial points are randomly generated and a criterion for initiating the line search.

A detailed review of a wide range of meta-heuristic and evolutionary algorithms in a systematic manner and how they relate to engineering optimization problems This book introduces the main metaheuristic algorithms and their applications in optimization. It describes 20 leading meta-heuristic and evolutionary algorithms and presents discussions and assessments of their performance in solving optimization problems from several fields of engineering. The book features clear and concise principles and presents detailed descriptions of leading methods such as the pattern search (PS) algorithm, the genetic algorithm (GA), the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, the Tabu search (TS) algorithm, the ant colony optimization (ACO), and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique. Chapter 1 of Meta-heuristic and Evolutionary Algorithms for Engineering Optimization provides an overview of optimization and defines it by presenting examples of optimization problems in different engineering domains. Chapter 2 presents an introduction to meta-heuristic and evolutionary algorithms and links them to engineering problems. Chapters 3 to 22 are each devoted to a separate algorithm— and they each start with a brief literature review of the development of the algorithm, and its applications to engineering problems. The principles, steps, and execution of the algorithms are described in detail, and a pseudo code of the algorithm is presented, which serves as a guideline for coding the algorithm to solve specific applications. This book: Introduces state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms and their applications to engineering optimization; Fills a gap in the current literature by compiling and explaining the various meta-heuristic and evolutionary algorithms in a clear and systematic manner; Provides a step-by-step presentation of each algorithm and guidelines for practical implementation and coding of algorithms; Discusses and assesses the performance of metaheuristic algorithms in multiple problems from many fields of engineering; Relates optimization algorithms to engineering problems employing a unifying approach. Meta-heuristic and Evolutionary Algorithms for Engineering Optimization is a reference intended for students, engineers, researchers, and instructors in the fields of industrial engineering, operations research, optimization/mathematics, engineering optimization, and computer science. OMID BOZORG-HADDAD, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering at the University of Tehran, Iran. MOHAMMAD SOLGI, M.Sc., is Teacher Assistant for M.Sc. courses at the University of Tehran, Iran. HUGO A. LOÁICIGA, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara, United States of America.

Computational optimization is an important paradigm with a wide range of applications. In virtually all branches of engineering and industry, we almost always try to optimize something - whether to minimize the cost and energy consumption, or to maximize profits, outputs, performance and efficiency. In many cases, this search for optimality is challenging, either because of the high computational cost of evaluating objectives and constraints, or because of the nonlinearity, multimodality, discontinuity and uncertainty of the problem functions in the real-world systems. Another complication is that most problems are often NP-hard, that is, the solution time for finding the optimum increases exponentially with the problem size. The development of efficient algorithms and specialized techniques that address these difficulties is of primary importance for contemporary engineering, science and industry. This book consists of 12 self-contained chapters, contributed from worldwide experts who are working in these exciting areas. The book strives to review and discuss the latest developments concerning optimization and modelling with a focus on methods and algorithms for computational optimization. It also covers well-chosen, real-world applications in science, engineering and industry. Main topics include derivative-free optimization, multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, surrogate-based methods, maximum simulated likelihood estimation, support vector machines, and metaheuristic algorithms. Application case studies include aerodynamic shape optimization, microwave engineering, black-box optimization, classification, economics, inventory optimization and structural optimization. This graduate level book can serve as an excellent reference for lecturers, researchers and students in computational science, engineering and industry.