Design and Analysis of Experiments on Nonconvex Regions

Modeling a response over a nonconvex design region is a common problem in diverse areas such as engineering and geophysics. The tools available to model and design for such responses are limited and have received little attention. We propose a new method for selecting design points over nonconvex regions that is based on the application of multidimensional scaling to the geodesic distance. Optimal designs for prediction are described, with special emphasis on Gaussian process models, followed by a simulation study and an application in glaciology. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.