This study aid on numerical optimization techniques is intended for university undergraduate and postgraduate mechanical engineering students. Optimization procedures are becoming more and more important for lightweight design, where weight reduction can, for example in the case of automotive or aerospace industry, lead to lower fuel consumption and a corresponding reduction in operational costs as well as beneficial effects on the environment. Based on the free computer algebra system Maxima, the authors present procedures for numerically solving problems in engineering mathematics as well as applications taken from traditional courses on the strength of materials. The mechanical theories focus on the typical one-dimensional structural elements, i.e., springs, bars, and Euler–Bernoulli beams, in order to reduce the complexity of the numerical framework and limit the resulting design to a low number of variables. The use of a computer algebra system and the incorporated functions, e.g., for derivatives or equation solving, allows a greater focus on the methodology of the optimization methods and not on standard procedures.
The book also provides numerous examples, including some that can be solved using a graphical approach to help readers gain a better understanding of the computer implementation.
Andreas Öchsner is a Full Professor of Lightweight Design and Structural Simulation at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany. After completing his Dipl.-Ing. degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart (1997), he served as a research and teaching assistant at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg from 1997 to 2003 while pursuing his Doctor of Engineering Sciences (Dr.-Ing.) degree. From 2003 to 2006, he was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Head of the Cellular Metals Group affiliated with the University of Aveiro, Portugal. He spent seven years (2007–2013) as a Full Professor at the Department of Applied Mechanics, Technical University of Malaysia, where he was also Head of the Advanced Materials and Structure Lab. From 2014 to 2017, he was a Full Professor at the School of Engineering, Griffith University, Australia, and Leader of the Mechanical Engineering Program (Head of Discipline and Program Director).
Resam Makvandi is a Ph.D. candidate and research fellow at the Institute of Mechanics, Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Germany. He completed his B.Sc. degree at the Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch, Iran (2010), and his M.Eng. degree at the University of Technology, Malaysia (2013), both in Mechanical Engineering.
