Topology optimization of coated structure using moving morphable sandwich bars

An explicit topology optimization method for coated structures is proposed by using moving morphable sandwich bars (MMSBs). An MMSB acting as a composite bar has two different material parts with an inner part of the base material and an exterior layer of the coating material. The geometries of an M...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Structural and multidisciplinary optimization 2020-02, Vol.61 (2), p.491-506
Main Authors: Hoang, Van-Nam, Nguyen, Ngoc-Linh, Nguyen-Xuan, H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bars
Coating
Computational Mathematics and Numerical Analysis
Engineering
Engineering Design
Lower bounds
Protective coatings
Research Paper
Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
Thickness
Topology optimization
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:An explicit topology optimization method for coated structures is proposed by using moving morphable sandwich bars (MMSBs). An MMSB acting as a composite bar has two different material parts with an inner part of the base material and an exterior layer of the coating material. The geometries of an MMSB are mapped onto two different density fields using a fixed grid and the same shortest distance function. The densities of an element are determined depending on whether the element lies inside or outside the boundaries of the inner bars/the hollowed bars. By treating the coordinates of the ends and thicknesses of the base and coating layers of a sandwich bar as design variables, the sandwich bar can move, morph, change its thicknesses, and overlap with others in a fixed design domain to form optimal shapes of the base and coating structures. The minimum thickness of the base structure as well as the coating layer is independently and precisely controlled in an explicit way by simply adjusting the lower bounds of the thickness variables of the sandwich bars. The uniform thickness control of the coating layer can be obtained without any filtering techniques or additional constraints. The proposed method is also extended for topology optimization of the coated structures with two coating layers. The numerical examples of minimizing structural compliance show that the proposed method works effectively and produces good results with smooth and fast convergence rate.
ISSN:1615-147X
1615-1488
DOI:10.1007/s00158-019-02370-z