Scaling the iHMM: Parallelization versus Hadoop

This paper compares parallel and distributed implementations of an iterative, Gibbs sampling, machine learning algorithm. Distributed implementations run under Hadoop on facility computing clouds. The probabilistic model under study is the infinite HMM [1], in which parameters are learnt using an instance blocked Gibbs sampling, with a step consisting of a dynamic program. We apply this model to learn part-of-speech tags from newswire text in an unsupervised fashion. However our focus here is on runtime performance, as opposed to NLP-relevant scores, embodied by iteration duration, ease of development, deployment and debugging. © 2010 IEEE.

Scaling POMDPs for dialog management with composite summary point-based value iteration (CSPBVI)

Although partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) have shown great promise as a framework for dialog management in spoken dialog systems, important scalability issues remain. This paper tackles the problem of scaling slot-filling POMDP-based dialog managers to many slots with a novel technique called composite point-based value iteration (CSPBVI). CSPBVI creates a "local" POMDP policy for each slot; at runtime, each slot nominates an action and a heuristic chooses which action to take. Experiments in dialog simulation show that CSPBVI successfully scales POMDP-based dialog managers without compromising performance gains over baseline techniques and preserving robustness to errors in user model estimation. Copyright © 2006, American Association for Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved.

High order schemes on three-dimensional general polyhedral meshes - Application to the level set method

In this article, we detail the methodology developed to construct arbitrarily high order schemes - linear and WENO - on 3D mixed-element unstructured meshes made up of general convex polyhedral elements. The approach is tailored specifically for the solution of scalar level set equations for application to incompressible two-phase flow problems. The construction of WENO schemes on 3D unstructured meshes is notoriously difficult, as it involves a much higher level of complexity than 2D approaches. This due to the multiplicity of geometrical considerations introduced by the extra dimension, especially on mixed-element meshes. Therefore, we have specifically developed a number of algorithms to handle mixed-element meshes composed of convex polyhedra with convex polygonal faces. The contribution of this work concerns several areas of interest: the formulation of an improved methodology in 3D, the minimisation of computational runtime in the implementation through the maximum use of pre-processing operations, the generation of novel methods to handle complex 3D mixed-element meshes and finally the application of the method to the transport of a scalar level set. © 2012 Global-Science Press.

An efficient model for the dynamic behaviour of a single pile in viscoelastic soil

This paper presents a novel, three-dimensional, single-pile model, formulated in the wavenumber domain and adapted to account for boundary conditions using the superposition of loading cases. The pile is modelled as a column in axial vibration, and a Euler-Bernoulli beam in lateral vibration. The surrounding soil is treated as a viscoelastic continuum. The response of the pile is presented in terms of the stiffness and damping coefficients, and also the magnitude and phase of the pile-head frequency-response function. Comparison with existing models shows that excellent agreement is observed between this model, a boundary-element formulation, and an elastic-continuum-type formulation. This three-dimensional model has an accuracy equivalent to a 3D boundary-element model, and a runtime similar to a 2D plane-strain analytical model. Analysis of the response of the single pile illustrates a difference in axial and lateral vibration behaviour; the displacement along the pile is relatively invariant under axial loads, but in lateral vibration the pile exhibits localised deformations. This implies that a plane-strain assumption is valid for axial loadings and only at higher frequencies for lateral loadings. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Multi-objective shape optimisation for horizontal-axis wind turbine blades

We are developing a wind turbine blade optimisation package CoBOLDT (COmputa- tional Blade Optimisation and Load De ation Tool) for the optimisation of large horizontal- axis wind turbines. The core consists of the Multi-Objective Tabu Search (MOTS), which controls a spline parameterisation module, a fast geometry generation and a stationary Blade Element Momentum (BEM) code to optimise an initial wind turbine blade design. The objective functions we investigate are the Annual Energy Production (AEP) and the fl apwise blade root bending moment (MY0) for a stationary wind speed of 50 m/s. For this task we use nine parameters which define the blade chord, the blade twist (4 parameters each) and the blade radius. Throughout the optimisation a number of binary constraints are defined to limit the noise emission, to allow for transportation on land and to control the aerodynamic conditions during all phases of turbine operation. The test case shows that MOTS is capable to find enhanced designs very fast and eficiently and will provide a rich and well explored Pareto front for the designer to chose from. The optimised blade de- sign could improve the AEP of the initial blade by 5% with the same flapwise root bending moment or reduce MY0 by 7.5% with the original energy yield. Due to the fast runtime of order 10 seconds per design, a huge number of optimisation iterations is possible without the need for a large computing cluster. This also allows for increased design flexibility through the introduction of more parameters per blade function or parameterisation of the airfoils in future. © 2012 by Nordex Energy GmbH.

Multi-objective shape optimisation for horizontal-axis wind turbine blades

We are developing a wind turbine blade optimisation package CoBOLDT (COmputa- tional Blade Optimisation and Load Deation Tool) for the optimisation of large horizontal- axis wind turbines. The core consists of the Multi-Objective Tabu Search (MOTS), which controls a spline parameterisation module, a fast geometry generation and a stationary Blade Element Momentum (BEM) code to optimise an initial wind turbine blade design. The objective functions we investigate are the Annual Energy Production (AEP) and the apwise blade root bending moment (MY0) for a stationary wind speed of 50 m/s. For this task we use nine parameters which define the blade chord, the blade twist (4 parameters each) and the blade radius. Throughout the optimisation a number of binary constraints are defined to limit the noise emission, to allow for transportation on land and to control the aerodynamic conditions during all phases of turbine operation. The test case shows that MOTS is capable to find enhanced designs very fast and efficiently and will provide a rich and well explored Pareto front for the designer to chose from. The optimised blade de- sign could improve the AEP of the initial blade by 5% with the same apwise root bending moment or reduce MY0 by 7.5% with the original energy yield. Due to the fast runtime of order 10 seconds per design, a huge number of optimisation iterations is possible without the need for a large computing cluster. This also allows for increased design flexibility through the introduction of more parameters per blade function or parameterisation of the airfoils in future. © 2012 AIAA.