Multi-objective System Design Optimization via PPA and a Fuzzy Method

Abstract

System design deals with various challenges of targets and resources, such as reliability, availability, maintainability, cost, weight, volume, and configuration. This paper deals with the multi-objective system availability and cost optimization of parallel–series systems by resorting to the multi-objective strawberry algorithm also known as the Plant Propagation Algorithm or PPA and a fuzzy method. It is the first implementation of this optimization algorithm in the literature for this kind of problem to generate the Pareto Front. The fuzzy method allows helping the decision maker to select the best compromise solution. A numerical case study involving 10 subsystems highlights the applicability of the proposed approach.