Research Fellows / Open Positions

Early Stage Researcher 2 at QMUL

CAD-based optimisation loops with automatically differentiated CAD systems

Note: This position has been filled.

The derivatives of the parametrisation are required to fully integrate the parametrisation into gradient-based optimisation workflows, but for typical CAD systems these derivatives are not available. In this project the open-source CAD kernel OpenCASCADE is differentiated using the Automatic Differentiation software tool ADOL-C from the University of Paderborn. The focus for the project of ESR2 is to integrate the differentiated code into the optimisation workflow and apply it to industrial testcases.

This project is in conducted in close collaboration with ESR9 at OpenCascade and ESR12 at University of Paderborn.

Objectives:

• M1-M12: Familiarisation with OCCT (secondment to OCC), definition of a reduced kernel for differentiation, familiarisation with ADOL-C AD tool (secondment to UPB), application of AD to the reduced kernel, demonstration on small testcase, Publication. (WP4).
• M12-M18: Extension of the methodology to industrially relevant kernel, demonstration on industrial testcase, Publication. (WP4).
• M18-M26: Development of an effective methodology for constraint definition. Extraction/definition of onstraints from/with CAD/ParaView GUI (WP5),
• M26-M36: Encapsulation, linking as a plugin into ParaView using the IODA API, Integration with in-house solver and  OPENFOAM solver for demonstration/evaluation, (secondment to VW) (WP6).

For further details, contact Dr. Jens-Dominik Müller, j.mueller@qmul.ac.uk. To apply, follow this link.