An efficient numerical method for computing the topological sensitivity of arbitrary‐shaped features in plate bending

The objective of this paper is to introduce an efficient numerical scheme to compute the topological sensitivity (TS) of arbitrary‐shaped features in plate bending. The proposed method captures the first‐order change in quantities of interest (example: plate compliance) when an arbitrary‐shaped feature is created within a plate. Both the theory and algorithms are provided to rapidly compute the feature‐specific TS for the classic Kirchhoff–Love plate models. An important application of the proposed method is in design exploration/optimization wherein a designer can explore the impact of including plate features, without recourse to repeated finite element analysis. The proposed method is illustrated and validated through numerical experiments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.