A life cycle cost based methodology for choosing among design alternatives

Abstract

A life cycle cost based methodology for choosing among mutually exclusive design alternatives is presented in this study. The methodology places emphasis on the iterative nature of the design process. That is, choosing among design alternatives involves the pairwise comparison of the current design iteration to a "baseline" design.

An Equivalent Cost Function provides the cause-effect framework on which the methodology is based. In generating a design alternative, the designer alters design features (cause). These features manifest themselves as design dependent parameters (effect), and for each set of such values, optimal values of design variables are sought. This design development process occurs in the face of design independent parameters, with the final result being a value of equivalent life cycle cost.