Multilevel and Multiobjective Optimization

This chapter presents the aspects of multilevel optimization, parallel processing/computation of responses, and multiobjective optimization. For nonlinear design optimization problems, several decomposition methods have been proposed. The chapter considers a two-level approach in which the system is decomposed into a number of smaller subproblems, each with its own goals and constraints. The individual subsystem optimization problems are solved independently in the first level and the coordinated problem is solved in the second level. The approach is known as the model-coordination method. The multiobjective optimization problem is also known as a vector minimization problem. Several methods have been developed for solving a multiobjective optimization problem. Most of these methods basically generate a set of Pareto optimal solutions and use some additional criterion or rule to select one particular Pareto optimal solution as the solution of the multiobjective optimization problem.