Reliability-based design optimization with discrete search space

Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) is an important function in engineering design. The goal is to find a balanced design that is not only economical but also reliable in the presence of uncertainty. Practical applications of RBDO involve discrete design variables, which are selected from commercially available lists, and non-smooth (non-differentiable) performance functions. The proposed PSO (particle swarm optimization) algorithm extends standard PSO to include two new features: auto-tuning and boundary-approaching with the goal to find the optimal design of a ten-bar truss, whose component sizes are selected from commercial standards, while reliability constraints are imposed by the current design code. In multiple trials, the AB-PSO (auto-tuning boundary-approaching PSO) algorithm is able to deliver competitive solutions with consistency.