Classification-based Optimization and Probabilistic Analysis Using LS-OPT®

LS-OPT is a standalone Design Optimization and Probabilistic Analysis package with an interface to LS-DYNA® that is capable of solving a variety of reliability assessment and single or multi-disciplinary design problems. It consists of a flexible framework with various methods that are suited to specific types of problems. The solution methods in LS-OPT are broadly categorized as direct or metamodel-based. Metamodel-based methods build approximations of the system responses using only a few samples, before applying core optimization or probabilistic analysis methods on these inexpensive surrogate models. They are particularly attractive due to higher efficiency compared to direct methods, which on the contrary can be prohibitively expensive in some scenarios.