Office Hours
Open (except in the hour before class and when the Aerospace office is closed)
Prerequisites
None beyond typical undergraduate mathematics (calculus, vector calculus, linear algebra, some ordinary differential equations). One computer programming language (there is no "official" language for this course).
Textbook
None. All course material (notes, papers, other references) will be placed in a binder (updated periodically) left in the main department office.
Syllabus
- Unconstrained minimization for functions of one variable.
- Unconstrained minimization for functions of N variables.
- Solution of constrained minimization problems via transformation to unconstrained minimization problems—Penalty function methods.
- Direct solution of constrained minimization problems—Feasible directions methods, sequential quadratic programming methods.
- Approximation techniques: Formulation of approximate problems; Sensitivity calculations for constraints requiring the solution of sets of linear or nonlinear algebraic equations; Sensitivity calculations for eigenvalue/eigenvector problems, including systems subject to parametric excitation; Sensitivity calculations for ODE/transient response problems.
- Optimum design sensitivity analysis
- Introduction to genetic algorithms.
Grade:
- 25% Midterm I (around the sixth week of classes)
- 25% Midterm II (around the eleventh week of classes)
- 25% Final
- 25% Homework and optimization project