Reliability-redundancy optimization by means of a chaotic differential evolution approach

The reliability design is related to the performance analysis of many engineering systems. The reliability-redundancy optimization problems involve selection of components with multiple choices and redundancy levels that produce maximum benefits, can be subject to the cost, weight, and volume constraints. Classical mathematical methods have failed in handling nonconvexities and nonsmoothness in optimization problems. As an alternative to the classical optimization approaches, the meta-heuristics have been given much attention by many researchers due to their ability to find all almost global optimal solution in reliability-redundancy optimization problems. Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) - paradigms of evolutionary computation field - are stochastic and robust meta-heuristics useful to solve reliability-redundancy optimization problems. EAs such as genetic algorithm, evolutionary programming, evolution strategies and differential evolution are being used to find global or near global optimal solution. A differential evolution approach based on chaotic sequences using Lozi's map for reliability-redundancy optimization problems is proposed in this paper. The proposed method has a fast convergence rate but also maintains the diversity of the population so as to escape from local optima. Ail application example in reliability-redundancy optimization based on the overspeed protection system of a gas turbine is given to show its usefulness and efficiency. Simulation results show that the application of deterministic chaotic sequences instead of random sequences is a possible strategy to improve the performance of differential evolution. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.