Computer simulations is a fundamental tool of the design process in many engineering disciplines including aerospace engineering. However, although high-fidelity numerical models are accurate, they can be computationally expensive with evaluation time for a single design as long as hours, days or even weeks. Simulation-driven design using conventional optimization techniques may be therefore prohibitive.

This book explores the alternative: performing computationally efficient design using surrogate-based optimization, where the high-fidelity model is replaced by its computationally cheap but still reasonably accurate representation: a surrogate. The emphasis is on physics-based surrogates. Application-wise, the focus is on aerodynamics and the methods and techniques described in the book are demonstrated using aerodynamic shape optimization cases. Applications in other engineering fields are also demonstrated.

State-of-the-art techniques and a depth of coverage never published before make this a unique and essential book for all researchers working in aerospace and other engineering areas and dealing with optimization, computationally expensive design problems, and simulation-driven design.
Contents: Motivation and Problem Formulation: Introduction Aerodynamic Shape Optimization Optimization Techniques: Simulation-Driven Design: Direct Methods Surrogate-Based Optimization SBO with Approximation-Based Surrogates SBO with Physics-Based Surrogates Aerodynamics Modeling: Geometry Parameterization High-Fidelity Aerodynamic Models Low-Fidelity Aerodynamics Models Applications: Transonic Airfoil Shape Design Transonic Wing Shape Design Subsonic Shape Design Selected Applications of Surrogate-Based Optimization in Other Areas Surrogate-Based Optimization with MATLAB Conclusion: Practical Aspects of Variable-Fidelity Design
Readership: Graduate students and researchers in the field of engineering, in particular, aerospace engineering. Key Features: Gathers a number of relevant techniques that were never compiled in one publication before, and certain state-of-the-art techniques have never been published in book form Compact and self-contained introduction to the area of surrogate-based optimization and variable-fidelity optimization At present, this is the only book available on the market that offers coverage of variable-fidelity optimization methods