Multilevel parallel optimization using massively parallel structural dynamics

A large-scale structural optimization of an electronics package has been completed using a massively parallel structural dynamics code. The optimization goals were to maximize safety margins for stress and acceleration resulting from transient impulse loads, while remaining within strict mass limits. The optimization process utilized nongradient, gradient, and approximate optimization methods in succession to modify shell thickness and foam density values within the electronics package. This combination of optimization methods was successful in improving the performance from an infeasible design that violated response allowables by a factor of two to a completely feasible design with positive design margins, while remaining within the mass limits. In addition, a tradeoff curve of mass versus safety margin was developed to facilitate the design decision process. These studies employed the ASCI Red supercomputer and used multiple levels of parallelism on up to 2560 processors. In total, a series of calculations were performed on ASCI Red in five days, where an equivalent calculation on a single desktop computer would have taken greater than 12 years to complete. This paper conveys the approaches, results, and lessons learnt from this large-scale production design application.