In this study, we conducted the approximate multi-objective optimization of gap sizes of pressurized-water reactor (PWR) annular fuels. To determine the contacting tendency of the inner-outer gaps between the annular fuel pellets and cladding, thermoelastic-plastic-creep (TEPC)analysis of PWR annular fuels was performed, using in-house FE code. For the efficient heat transfer at certain levels of stress, we investigated the tensile, compressive hoop stress and temperature, and optimized the gap sizes using the non-dominant sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). For this, response surface models of objective and constraint functions were generated, using central composite (CCD) and D-optimal design. The accuracy of approximate models was evaluated through R² value. The obtained optimal solutions by NSGA-II were verified through the TEPC analysis, and we compared the obtained optimum solutions and generated errors from the CCD and D-optimal design. We observed that optimum solutions differ, according to design of experiments (DOE) method.
