Multi-disciplinary design optimization with fuzzy uncertainties and its application in hybrid rocket motor powered launch vehicle

In this paper, an Uncertainty-based Multi-disciplinary Design Optimization (UMDO) method combining with fuzzy theory and Multi-Discipline Feasible (MDF) method is developed for the conceptual design of a Hybrid Rocket Motor (HRM) powered Launch Vehicle (LV). In the method proposed, membership functions are used to represent the uncertain factors, the fuzzy statistical experiment is introduced to analyze the propagation of uncertainties, and means, standard deviations and credibility measures are used to delineate uncertain responses. A geometric programming problem is solved to verify the feasibility of the Fuzzy-based Multi-Discipline Feasible (F-MDF) method. A multi-disciplinary analysis of a three-stage HRM powered LV involving the disciplines of propulsion, structure, aerodynamics and trajectory is implemented, and the mathematical models corresponding to the F-MDF method and the MDF method are established. A two-phase optimization method is proposed for multi-disciplinary design optimization of the LV, including the orbital capacity optimization phase based on the Ziolkowski formula, and the scheme trajectory verification phase based on the 3-degree-of-freedom point trajectory simulation. The correlation coefficients and the quadratic Response Surface Method (RSM) based on Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) are adopted for sensitive analysis of uncertain factors, and the Multi-Island Genetic Algorithm (MIGA) is adopted as the optimization algorithm. The results show that the F-MDF method is applicable in LV conceptual design, and the design with the F-MDF method is more reliable and robust than that with the MDF method.