Multiphase topology optimization with a single variable using the phase-field design method

In this study, a multimaterial topology optimization method using a single variable is proposed by combining the solid isotropic material with penalization method and the reaction-diffusion equation. Unlike ordinary multimaterial optimization, which requires several variables depending on the number of material types, this method intends to represent various materials as one variable. The proposed method combines two special functions in the sensitivity analysis of the objective function to converge the design variable into prespecified density values defined for each of the multimaterials. The composition constraint based on a normal distribution function is also introduced to estimate the distribution of each target density value in a single variable. It enables density exchange between multiple materials by increasing or decreasing the amount of a specific material. The proposed method is applied to structural and electromagnetic problems to verify its effectiveness, and its usefulness is also confirmed from the viewpoint of cost and computation time.     

连续体结构的变密度拓扑优化方法研究

为了实现使连续体结构的体积约束和柔顺度最小的拓扑优化及解决采用经典变密度法引起的结构优化结果存在如灰度单元、棋盘格等数值不稳定问题，提出了一种新的拓扑优化方法。首先，采用改进的固体各向同性材料惩罚法作为材料插值方案，建立结构拓扑优化模型；其次，通过引入基于高斯权重函数的敏度过滤法和设计新灰度单元抑制算子来解决数值不稳定问题；最后，借助优化准则法求解优化模型。通过算例分析可知：新策略可以改进拓扑优化方法；新的拓扑优化方法具有收敛速度较快、能更好地获取柔顺度小且拓扑构型好的优化结构和抑制灰度单元产生等优势。研究结果为其他连续体结构的拓扑优化研究提供了新思路。     

A nodal variable method of structural topology optimization based on Shepard interpolant

A method for topology optimization of continuum structures based on nodal density variables and density field mapping technique is investigated. The original discrete‐valued topology optimization problem is stated as an optimization problem with continuous design variables by introducing a material density field into the design domain. With the use of the Shepard family of interpolants, this density field is mapped onto the design space defined by a finite number of nodal density variables. The employed interpolation scheme has an explicit form and satisfies range‐restricted properties that makes it applicable for physically meaningful density interpolation. Its ability to resolve more complex spatial distribution of the material density within an individual element, as compared with the conventional elementwise design variable approach, actually provides certain regularization to the topology optimization problem. Numerical examples demonstrate the validity and applicability of the proposed formulation and numerical techniques. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Topology optimization using bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization based on the element-free Galerkin method

In this article, the bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO) method based on the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method is presented for topology optimization of continuum structures. The mathematical formulation of the topology optimization is developed considering the nodal strain energy as the design variable and the minimization of compliance as the objective function. The EFG method is used to derive the shape functions using the moving least squares approximation. The essential boundary conditions are enforced by the method of Lagrange multipliers. Several topology optimization problems are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Many issues related to topology optimization of continuum structures, such as chequerboard patterns and mesh dependency, are studied in the examples.     

An engineering method for complex structural optimization involving both size and topology design variables

This work presents an engineering method for optimizing structures made of bars, beams, plates, or a combination of those components. Corresponding problems involve both continuous (size) and discrete (topology) variables. Using a branched multipoint approximate function, which involves such mixed variables, a series of sequential approximate problems are constructed to make the primal problem explicit. To solve the approximate problems, genetic algorithm (GA) is utilized to optimize discrete variables, and when calculating individual fitness values in GA, a second-level approximate problem only involving retained continuous variables is built to optimize continuous variables. The solution to the second-level approximate problem can be easily obtained with dual methods. Structural analyses are only needed before improving the branched approximate functions in the iteration cycles. The method aims at optimal design of discrete structures consisting of bars, beams, plates, or other components. Numerical examples are given to illustrate its effectiveness, including frame topology optimization, layout optimization of stiffeners modeled with beams or shells, concurrent layout optimization of beam and shell components, and an application in a microsatellite structure. Optimization results show that the number of structural analyses is dramatically decreased when compared with pure GA while even comparable to pure sizing optimization.     

A mass constraint formulation for structural topology optimization with multiphase materials

This work is focused on the topology optimization of lightweight structures consisting of multiphase materials. Instead of adopting the common idea of using volume constraint, a new problem formulation with mass constraint is proposed. Meanwhile, recursive multiphase materials interpolation (RMMI) and uniform multiphase materials interpolation (UMMI) schemes are discussed and compared based on numerical tests and theoretical analysis. It is indicated that the nonlinearity of the mass constraint introduced by RMMI brings numerical difficulties to attain the global optimum of the optimization problem. On the contrary, the UMMI‐2 scheme makes it possible to formulate the mass constraint in a linear form with separable design variables. One such formulation favors very much the problem resolution by means of mathematical programming approaches, especially the convex programming methods. Moreover, numerical analysis indicates that fully uniform initial weighting is beneficial to seek the global optimum when UMMI‐2 scheme is used. Besides, the relationship between the volume constraint and mass constraint is theoretically revealed. The filtering technique is adapted to avoid the checkerboard pattern related to the problem with multiphase materials. Numerical examples show that the UMMI‐2 scheme with fully uniform initial weighting is reliable and efficient to deal with the structural topology optimization with multiphase materials and mass constraint. Meanwhile, the mass constraint formulation is evidently more significant than the volume constraint formulation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Topology optimization of plane structures using smoothed particle hydrodynamics method

This paper presents an alternative topology optimization method based on an efficient meshless smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) algorithm. To currently calculate the objective compliance, the deficiencies in standard SPH method are eliminated by introducing corrective smoothed particle method and total Lagrangian formulation. The compliance is established relative to a designed density variable at each SPH particle which is updated by optimality criteria method. Topology optimization is realized by minimizing the compliance using a modified solid isotropic material with penalization approach. Some numerical examples of plane elastic structure are carried out and the results demonstrate the suitability and effectiveness of the proposed SPH method in the topology optimization problem. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Piecewise constant level set method for structural topology optimization

In this paper, a piecewise constant level set (PCLS) method is implemented to solve a structural shape and topology optimization problem. In the classical level set method, the geometrical boundary of the structure under optimization is represented by the zero level set of a continuous level set function, e.g. the signed distance function. Instead, in the PCLS approach the boundary is described by discontinuities of PCLS functions. The PCLS method is related to the phase‐field methods, and the topology optimization problem is defined as a minimization problem with piecewise constant constraints, without the need of solving the Hamilton–Jacobi equation. The result is not moving the boundaries during the iterative procedure. Thus, it offers some advantages in treating geometries, eliminating the reinitialization and naturally nucleating holes when needed. In the paper, the PCLS method is implemented with the additive operator splitting numerical scheme, and several numerical and procedural issues of the implementation are discussed. Examples of 2D structural topology optimization problem of minimum compliance design are presented, illustrating the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new hole insertion method for level set based structural topology optimization

Structural shape and topology optimization using level set functions is becoming increasingly popular. However, traditional methods do not naturally allow for new hole creation and solutions can be dependent on the initial design. Various methods have been proposed that enable new hole insertion; however, the link between hole insertion and boundary optimization can be unclear. The new method presented in this paper utilizes a secondary level set function that represents a pseudo third dimension in two‐dimensional problems to facilitate new hole insertion. The update of the secondary function is connected to the primary level set function forming a meaningful link between boundary optimization and hole creation. The performance of the method is investigated to identify suitable parameters that produce good solutions for a range of problems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Material cloud method for topology optimization

Material cloud method (MCM), a new approach for topology optimization, is presented. In MCM, an optimal structure can be obtained by manipulating the sizes and positions of material clouds, which are material patches with finite sizes and constant material densities. The optimal distributions of material clouds can be obtained by MCM using fixed background finite element meshes. In the numerical analysis procedure, only active elements, where more than one material cloud is contained, are treated. Optimal material distribution can be element‐wise extracted from the distribution of material clouds. With MCM, an expansion–reduction procedure of design domain can be naturally realized through movements of material clouds, so that a true optimal solution can be found without any significant increase of computational costs. It is also shown that a clear material distribution with narrow region of intermediate density can be obtained with relatively fast convergence. Several numerical examples are shown. Some of the results are compared with those of the traditional density distribution method (DDM). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

结构拓扑优化中敏度过滤技术研究

为了抑制连续体结构拓扑优化结果中的棋盘格和灰度单元问题,借鉴粒子群优化算法中粒子状态的更新方法,提出一种改进的敏度更新技术.以结构的柔度最小为优化目标,构建了基于固体各项同性微惩罚结构的结构拓扑优化模型,根据结构的力学响应分析,采用优化准则法进行设计变量更新,进行载荷作用下二维连续体结构的拓扑优化设计,得到了材料在设计域内的最优分布.通过与已有敏度过滤技术的对比分析,验证了文中方法的正确性和有效性．     

A moving superimposed finite element method for structural topology optimization

Level set methods are becoming an attractive design tool in shape and topology optimization for obtaining efficient and lighter structures. In this paper, a dynamic implicit boundary‐based moving superimposed finite element method (s‐version FEM or S‐FEM) is developed for structural topology optimization using the level set methods, in which the variational interior and exterior boundaries are represented by the zero level set. Both a global mesh and an overlaying local mesh are integrated into the moving S‐FEM analysis model. A relatively coarse fixed Eulerian mesh consisting of bilinear rectangular elements is used as a global mesh. The local mesh consisting of flexible linear triangular elements is constructed to match the dynamic implicit boundary captured from nodal values of the implicit level set function. In numerical integration using the Gauss quadrature rule, the practical difficulty due to the discontinuities is overcome by the coincidence of the global and local meshes. A double mapping technique is developed to perform the numerical integration for the global and coupling matrices of the overlapped elements with two different co‐ordinate systems. An element killing strategy is presented to reduce the total number of degrees of freedom to improve the computational efficiency. A simple constraint handling approach is proposed to perform minimum compliance design with a volume constraint. A physically meaningful and numerically efficient velocity extension method is developed to avoid the complicated PDE solving procedure. The proposed moving S‐FEM is applied to structural topology optimization using the level set methods as an effective tool for the numerical analysis of the linear elasticity topology optimization problems. For the classical elasticity problems in the literature, the present S‐FEM can achieve numerical results in good agreement with those from the theoretical solutions and/or numerical results from the standard FEM. For the minimum compliance topology optimization problems in structural optimization, the present approach significantly outperforms the well‐recognized ‘ersatz material’ approach as expected in the accuracy of the strain field, numerical stability, and representation fidelity at the expense of increased computational time. It is also shown that the present approach is able to produce structures near the theoretical optimum. It is suggested that the present S‐FEM can be a promising tool for shape and topology optimization using the level set methods. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Robust compliance topology optimization based on the topological derivative concept

In this paper, we present an approach for robust compliance topology optimization under volume constraint. The compliance is evaluated considering a point‐wise worst‐case scenario. Analogously to sequential optimization and reliability assessment, the resulting robust optimization problem can be decoupled into a deterministic topology optimization step and a reliability analysis step. This procedure allows us to use topology optimization algorithms already developed with only small modifications. Here, the deterministic topology optimization problem is addressed with an efficient algorithm based on the topological derivative concept and a level‐set domain representation method. The reliability analysis step is handled as in the performance measure approach. Several numerical examples are presented showing the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural shape and topology optimization based on level-set modelling and the element-propagating method

This article introduces the element-propagating method to structural shape and topology optimization. Structural optimization based on the conventional level-set method needs to solve several partial differential equations. By the insertion and deletion of basic material elements around the geometric boundary, the element-propagating method can avoid solving the partial differential equations and realize the dynamic updating of the material region. This approach also places no restrictions on the signed distance function and the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy condition for numerical stability. At the same time, in order to suppress the dependence on the design initialization for the 2D structural optimization problem, the strain energy density is taken as a criterion to generate new holes in the material region. The coupled algorithm of the element-propagating method and the method for generating new holes makes the structural optimization more robust. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed approach greatly improves numerical efficiency, compared with the conventional level-set method for structural topology optimization.     

A quadratic approximation for structural topology optimization

In topology optimization, it is customary to use reciprocal‐like approximations, which result in monotonically decreasing approximate objective functions. In this paper, we demonstrate that efficient quadratic approximations for topology optimization can also be derived, if the approximate Hessian terms are chosen with care. To demonstrate this, we construct a dual SAO algorithm for topology optimization based on a strictly convex, diagonal quadratic approximation to the objective function. Although the approximation is purely quadratic, it does contain essential elements of reciprocal‐like approximations: for self‐adjoint problems, our approximation is identical to the quadratic or second‐order Taylor series approximation to the exponential approximation. We present both a single‐point and a two‐point variant of the new quadratic approximation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于拓扑优化的重型矿用自卸车翻车保护结构设计

翻车保护结构（roll-over protective structure,ROPS）是安装在工程车辆驾驶室中的一套被动保护装置,能在翻车事故中为驾驶人员提供有效的保护。为解决ROPS承载能力、刚度、轻量化和侧向吸能效果之间的矛盾,将基于变密度法的拓扑优化技术引入重型矿用自卸车ROPS设计中,以解决ROPS在给定设计域内的材料最优分布问题,提高ROPS侧向吸能效果和垂向、纵向的刚度,减轻自重。首先,利用OptiStruct结构优化模块对ROPS进行拓扑优化设计,以多工况组合应变能最小为优化目标,按照国际标准规定的性能要求施加载荷和约束条件。基于拓扑优化结果,对ROPS进行详细设计。然后,利用显示动力分析软件LS-DYNA对ROPS的最终设计模型进行动态加载分析。最后对优化后ROPS的性能与原ROPS的性能进行对比分析。结果表明：拓扑优化设计后的ROPS在3个工况下都没有入侵DLV（deflection-limiting volume,挠曲极限量）,满足国际标准中的承载能力要求;在侧向加载中最大能量吸收达到175 kJ,满足国际标准中的侧向能量吸收要求;相较于原ROPS,拓扑优化设计后的ROPS达到侧向能量吸收要求所需的载荷从1 324.5 kN减小到1 231 kN,加载中心点的垂向位移减小21.3%,纵向位移减小34.4%,质量减小24.1%。研究结果为重型矿用自卸车ROPS的设计提供了新方法,对后续ROPS的设计与改进有一定的指导作用。     

Voigt–Reuss topology optimization for structures with nonlinear material behaviors

This work is directed toward optimizing concept designs of structures featuring inelastic material behaviours by using topology optimization. In the proposed framework, alternative structural designs are described with the aid of spatial distributions of volume fraction design variables throughout a prescribed design domain. Since two or more materials are permitted to simultaneously occupy local regions of the design domain, small-strain integration algorithms for general two-material mixtures of solids are developed for the Voigt (isostrain) and Reuss (isostress) assumptions, and hybrid combinations thereof. Structural topology optimization problems involving non-linear material behaviours are formulated and algorithms for incremental topology design sensitivity analysis (DSA) of energy type functionals are presented. The consistency between the structural topology design formulation and the developed sensitivity analysis algorithms is established on three small structural topology problems separately involving linear elastic materials, elastoplastic materials, and viscoelastic materials. The good performance of the proposed framework is demonstrated by solving two topology optimization problems to maximize the limit strength of elastoplastic structures. It is demonstrated through the second example that structures optimized for maximal strength can be significantly different than those optimized for minimal elastic compliance. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A scaled boundary finite element based explicit topology optimization approach for three-dimensional structures

This article proposes an efficient approach for solving three-dimensional (3D) topology optimization problem. In this approach, the number of design variables in optimization as well as the number of degrees of freedom in structural response analysis can be reduced significantly. This is accomplished through the use of scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) for structural analysis under the moving morphable component (MMC)-based topology optimization framework. In the proposed method, accurate response analysis in the boundary region dictates the accuracy of the entire analysis. In this regard, an adaptive refinement scheme is developed where the refined mesh is only used in the boundary region while relating coarse mesh is used away from the boundary. Numerical examples demonstrate that the computational efficiency of 3D topology optimization can be improved effectively by the proposed approach.     

Numerical methods for the topology optimization of structures that exhibit snap‐through

The inclusion of non‐linear elastic analyses into the topology optimization problem is necessary to capture the finite deformation response, e.g. the geometric non‐linear response of compliant mechanisms. In previous work, the non‐linear response is computed by standard non‐linear elastic finite element analysis. Here, we incorporate a load–displacement constraint method to traverse non‐linear equilibrium paths with limit points to design structures that exhibit snap‐through behaviour. To accomplish this, we modify the basic arc length algorithm and embed this analysis into the topology optimization problem. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于权重比的车架多工况拓扑优化方法研究

在赛车实际行驶过程中车架会受到各种工况的考验,因此在进行车架结构拓扑优化设计时必须同时考虑多个工况下车架的拓扑优化结果.然而,在进行多工况下拓扑结构设计时往往会遇到如何分配各个工况权重比的问题,各工况权重比的分配直接影响车架最终的拓扑结构.针对此问题进行研究,通过构造代理模型并利用遗传算法寻找最佳权重比.首先,采用折衷规划法建立同时考虑多个工况下车架刚度的拓扑优化综合目标函数模型;接着,采用最优拉丁超立方试验设计方法采样,构造径向基函数代理模型,并在代理模型的基础上利用NSGA-II进行求解,得到各个工况最佳权重比;最后,将获得的各个工况最佳权重比代入综合目标模型中进行拓扑计算,获得同时考虑各工况下车架刚度的拓扑结构.将该方法与获得权重比常用的层次分析法(AHP)和正交试验法(OED)进行比较,该方法较其他两种方法得到的综合目标值是最优的,车架所有工况的加权柔度是最低的.结果表明,所提出的方法很好地解决了多工况下拓扑优化权重比分配的问题,并且较其他方法具有明显的优越性.