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Model order reduction

Model order reduction is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Model order reduction rather than just read about it. In short: Model order reduction (MOR) is a technique for reducing the computational complexity of mathematical models in numerical simulations. As such it is closely related to the concept of metamodeling, with applications in all areas of mathematical modelling.

Key takeaways

  • Model order reduction belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Model order reduction to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Model order reduction from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Model order reduction (MOR) is a technique for reducing the computational complexity of mathematical models in numerical simulations. As such it is closely related to the concept of metamodeling, with applications in all areas of mathematical modelling.

Overview Many modern mathematical models of real-life processes pose challenges when used in numerical simulations, due to complexity and large size (dimension). Model order reduction aims to lower the computational complexity of such problems, for example, in simulations of large-scale dynamical systems and control systems. By a reduction of the model's associated state space dimension or degrees of freedom, an approximation to the original model is computed which is commonly referred to as a reduced order model. Reduced order models are useful in settings where it is often unfeasible to perform numerical simulations using the complete full order model. This can be due to limitations in computational resources or the requirements of the simulations setting, for instance real-time simulation settings or many-query settings in which a large number of simulations needs to be performed. Examples of Real-time simulation settings include control systems in electronics and visualization of model results while examples for a many-query setting can include optimization problems and design exploration. In order to be applicable to real-world problems, often the requirements of a reduced order model are:

A small approximation error compared to the full order model. Conservation of the properties and characteristics of the full order model (E.g. stability and passivity in electronics). Computationally efficient and robust reduced order modelling techniques. It is interesting to note that in some cases (e.g. constrained lumping of polynomial differential equations) it is possible to have a null approximation error, resulting in an exact model order reduction.

Methods Contemporary model order reduction techniques can be broadly classified into 5 classes:

Proper orthogonal decomposition methods. Reduced basis methods. Balancing methods Simplified physics or operational based reduction methods. Nonlinear and manifold model reduction methods. The simplified physics approach can be described to be analogous to the traditional mathematical modelling approach, in which a less complex description of a system is constructed based on assumptions and simplifications using physical insight or otherwise derived information. However, this approach is not often the topic of discussion in the context of model order reduction as it is a general method in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proper orthogonal decomposition, reduced basis, and balancing methods fall into the category of projection-based reduction. Projection-based reduction relies on the projection of either the model equations or the solution onto a basis of reduced dimensionality compared to the original solution space. Methods that also fall into this class but are perhaps less common are:

Proper generalized decomposition Matrix interpolation Transfer function interpolation Piecewise tangential interpolation Loewner framework (Empirical) cross Gramian Krylov subspace methods Nonlinear and manifold model reduction methods derive nonlinear approximations on manifolds and so can achieve higher accuracy with the same number of degrees of freedom than traditional methods that obtain linear approximations in subspaces. Building on nonlinear approximations is essential for efficiently reducing certain problem classes such as wave problems and advection-dominated problems in computational fluid dynamics. The nature and principles underlying nonlinear model reduction methods are broad and include template-based methods, the use of neural networks and online adaptive spaces. There are also nonintrusive model reduction methods that learn reduced models from data without requiring knowledge about the governing equations and internals of the full, high-fidelity model. Nonintrusive methods learn a low-dimensional approximation space or manifold and the reduced operators that represent the reduced dynamics from data. Methods that are non-intrusive include:

Dynamic mode decomposition Operator inference Loewner framework

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Model order reduction

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Model order reduction claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Model order reduction before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Model order reduction ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Model order reduction

In research
Model order reduction appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Model order reduction in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Model order reduction is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Mathematical modeling, Numerical analysis, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Model order reduction outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Model order reduction in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Model order reduction means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Model order reduction out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Model order reduction in simple terms?

Model order reduction (MOR) is a technique for reducing the computational complexity of mathematical models in numerical simulations. As such it is closely related to the concept of metamodeling, with applications in all areas of mathematical modelling.

Why does Model order reduction matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Model order reduction?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Model order reduction.

Tags

  • Mathematical modeling
  • Numerical analysis

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