Modelling the evolution of uncertainty levels during design

Design work involves uncertainty that arises from, and influences, the progressive development of solutions. This paper analyses the influences of evolving uncertainty levels on the design process. We focus on uncertainties associated with choosing the values of design parameters, and do not consider in detail the issues that arise when parameters must first be identified. Aspects of uncertainty and its evolution are discussed, and a new task-based model is introduced to describe process behaviour in terms of changing uncertainty levels. The model is applied to study two process configuration problems based on aircraft wing design: one using an analytical solution and one using Monte-Carlo simulation. The applications show that modelling uncertainty levels during design can help assess management policies, such as how many concepts should be considered during design and to what level of accuracy. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Eccentricity effects on acoustic radiation from a spherical source suspended within a thermoviscous fluid sphere.

Acoustic radiation from a spherical source undergoing angularly periodic axisymmetric harmonic surface vibrations while eccentrically suspended within a thermoviscous fluid sphere, which is immersed in a viscous thermally conducting unbounded fluid medium, is analyzed in an exact fashion. The formulation uses the appropriate wave-harmonic field expansions along with the translational addition theorem for spherical wave functions and the relevant boundary conditions to develop a closed-form solution in form of infinite series. The analytical results are illustrated with a numerical example in which the vibrating source is eccentrically positioned within a chemical fluid sphere submerged in water. The modal acoustic radiation impedance load on the source and the radiated far-field pressure are evaluated and discussed for representative values of the parameters characterizing the system. The proposed model can lead to a better understanding of dynamic response of an underwater acoustic lens. It is equally applicable in miniature transducer analysis and design with applications in medical ultrasonics.