Distributed computing for multidisciplinary design optimization using Java

Abstract

The programming language Java (recently referred to as the computer language of the Web) offers substantial possibilities for the type of complex engineering problems typically encountered in multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) problems. In order to demonstrate the potential uses of Java for MDO problems, this paper presents the development of the Web Interface for complex engineering design (WICkED) software, which simulates the convergence of a decomposed complex system in a distributed computing environment and computes the sensitivity derivatives of the system with respect to the independent input variables using the GSE method or the finite difference method. In this application, one computer is designated as the server and sends out required inputs to a number of client subsystems over the Internet. A number of client computers can connect to the server and then receive the inputs necessary to calculate the solution to their model. As the code necessary to solve the model already exists at the client, only the inputs have to be sent over the network. When the client has solved the calculation, it returns the results to the server which processes the result to produce new inputs.

WICkED is written entirely in the Java programming language which allows server and clients to exist on completely different computer types and in heterogeneous, distributed networks. A number of parametric studies on the behaviour of complex systems in a distributed environment are performed and the results are reported in this paper. This research serves to identify potential problems as well as advantages in using Java for MDO applications.