On the enhancement of computation and exploration of discretization approaches for meshless shape design sensitivity analysis

A new implementation of Reproducing Kernel Particle Method (RKPM) is proposed to enhance the process of shape design sensitivity analysis (DSA). The acceleration process is accomplished by expressing RKPM shape functions and their derivatives explicitly in terms of kernel function moments. In addition, two different discretization approaches are explored elaborately, which emanate from discretizing design sensitivity equation using the direct differentiation method. Comparison of these two approaches is made, and the equivalence of these two superficially different approaches is demonstrated through two elastostatics problems. The effectiveness of the enhanced RKPM is also verified by comparison of consumption of computer time between the classical method and the improved method.