Conceptual design of bicycle frames by multiobjective shape annealing

Using the design of bicycle frames as a case study, this paper explores the potential of a multiobjective extension of the shape annealing approach to conceptual design. The key elements of this approach are a randomized search based optimization method (to simulate creativity), a generative structural shape grammar (to allow different configurations to be explored), and a multiobjective optimization approach (to identify competing concepts occupying different parts of the trade-off surface). The results presented demonstrate the success of this approach in exploring a multiplicity of different design configurations and presenting the designer with a variety of Pareto-optimal concepts worthy of further consideration.