Geometric Programming for Design and Cost Optimization

Geometric programming is used for design and cost optimization, the development of generalized design relationships, cost ratios for specific problems, and profit maximization. The early pioneers of the process - Zener, Duffin, Peterson, Beightler, Wilde, and Phillips -- played important roles in the development of geometric programming. There are three major areas: 1) Introduction, History, and Theoretical Fundamentals, 2) Applications with Zero Degrees of Difficulty, and 3) Applications with Positive Degrees of Difficulty. The primal-dual relationships are used to illustrate how to determine the primal variables from the dual solution and how to determine additional dual equations when the degrees of difficulty are positive. A new technique for determining additional equations for the dual, Dimensional Analysis, is demonstrated. The various solution techniques of the constrained derivative approach, the condensation of terms, and dimensional analysis are illustrated with example problems. The goal of this work is to have readers develop more case studies to further the application of this exciting tool.