Shape optimization of topologically optimized structures using NURBS

DFX 2016: Proceedings of the 27th Symposium Design for X, 5-6 October 2016, Jesteburg, Germany

Year: 2016
Editor: Dieter Krause, Kristin Paetzold, Sandro Wartzack
Author: Kajo Lüdeker, Julian; Kriegesmann, Benedikt
Series: DfX
Institution: Hamburg University of Technology
Section: Test und Simulation
Page(s): 039-050
ISBN: 978-3-946094-09-8

Abstract

Topology optimization using the solid isotropic material penalization method provides a density distribution, which contains elements with intermediate densities between void and solid. A discrete design is obtained by some geometric interpretation of this result, which is often determined manually. Afterwards, the design is sized with respect to stress, sometimes in the framework of a shape optimization. The current work provides a fully automated routine to obtain a geometric interpretation and parameterization of two dimensional topology optimized structures using non-uniform rational Bézier splines (NURBS), and a shape optimization of the parameterized structure afterwards. Automating both steps reduces development time and cost, and allows embedding them into a larger optimization framework (e.g., multidisciplinary or robustness optimization).

Keywords: Topology optimization, Shape optimization, NURBS, Structure mechanics