ISSN:
1435-5663
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Computer Science
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Technology
Notes:
Abstract This paper presents a study and comparison of shape design sensitivity analysis algorithms that are based on the continuum adjoint variable method, the continuum direct differentiation method, and the finite difference method, implemented on a supermini computer with an attached array processor. The basic algorithms and their differences in evaluating shape design sensitivity coefficients are outlined. A solution method for solving a system of equations, using a general sparse storage technique, is used for numerical implementation of shape design sensitivity analysis. It is found that computing shape design sensitivity coefficients using the direct differentiation method is significantly more efficient than using the adjoint variable method or the finite difference method. A detailed performance evaluation of the methods, using an attached array processor, is presented. The performance of the attached array processor, compared to a supermini computer is shown to depend strongly on the type of computations to be carried out. When only parts of a program are running on an attached array processor, the CPU time distribution among the different subroutines of the program can change significantly, compared to using the host processor only.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01206307
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