Identifying optimal conditions for magnesium based alloy design using the Mesh Adaptive Direct Search algorithm

In alloy design, one seeks to identify compositions where certain functions have optimal values under various constraints. Such functions include liquidus temperature, amounts and compositions of phases (either as-cast or after annealing), densities, vapour pressures, and viscosities. We report here on the development of new tool to perform such calculations. The tool incorporates the MADS (Mesh Adaptive Direct Search) algorithm which is designed to solve nonsmooth optimization problems where the objectives and constraints are typically outputs of computer simulations. Numerical results for several examples will be presented.

► Mesh Adaptive Direct Searches algorithm is used to design new alloys. ► The FactSage software and databases are used to calculate the materials properties. ► The optimal compositions are described through the Pareto concept.