Developement Of A Batch Mode For Conduit And Its ... - Cal Poly

2.5 Sensitivity Automation
Batch Mode, up to this point, has accomplished all of the objectives except for
one. It has the ability to create multiple CONDUIT problems and modify every
parameter of a problem that could be modified by a user. It has the ability to
automatically run the multiple cases, and incorporates the means to quickly and
effectively view the results of these problems. The only objective lacking is the ability to
run the problems in such a way as to minimize user intervention. When running a
CONDUIT problem, sometimes the optimization can get stuck. The user must then run a
sensitivity analysis, freeze insensitive and correlated parameters, and continue. While
this is not necessary for some cases, the same can’t be said for all cases. Thus,
considering the large number of cases that could be used in a Batch Problem, some
automation of this process had to be implemented, and so the Sensitivity Automation was
created.
2.5.1 Typical Use of Sensitivity Tools
Before the development of the Sensitivity Automation can be discussed, the
details of the Sensitivity Analysis must be explained, with emphasis on the actions
performed by the user. When an optimization ends, it lists a reason why. Depending on
this reason, the user may opt to either accept the results and quit, or run a sensitivity
analysis. Typically, unless the message indicates that the problem is fully optimized, the
user would usually run a sensitivity analysis. The first step in a Sensitivity Analysis is
the selection of the design parameters for the gradient calculation. Typically, the
parameter selection would reflect the non-frozen parameters of the problem. However,
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