MDO Architectures Comparison on Analytical Test Case and Aerostructural Aircraft System Design Problem

Abstract

An aircraft system design problem is intrinsically a multidisciplinary problem. If the design configuration is unconventional, sound low-fidelity analysis methods are not available. Complex hi-fidelity tools are often the only solution to obtain reliable results, and for these reasons designers are deeply interested in the interactions and organization of these tools. Inside a Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) process, different architectures are possible. Analysis and comparison of six MDO architectures is the aim of this paper. The considered architectures are All-At-Once (AAO), Simultaneous Analysis and Design (SAND), Individual Discipline Feasible (IDF), Multidisciplinary Feasible (MDF), Collaborative Optimization (CO), Bi-Level Integrated System Synthesis (BLISS). The comparison is conducted on mathematical benchmark cases and on a simplified aerostructural aircraft design problem. Results expressed in a unified nomenclature are available as open source. Further, the CMDOWS (Common MDO Workflow Schema) developed in the AGILE project is used to translate the neutral description of the MDO problem into an executable implementation and it will be released as open source too. The aim is to promote the discussion on MDO architectures within the MDO research community.