Topology Optimization Roots in Structural Mechanics

This section gives an insight to the roots of topology optimization.

Topology optimization evolved in the field of structural mechanics and is used to determine the basic layout of a new design. Today, this type of design optimization is very well established in the field of structural mechanics. It involves the determination of features such as the number, location, and shape of holes as well as the connectivity of the domain. A new design is determined based upon the design space available, the loads, possible bearings, and the component materials. The following figure depicts the basic topology optimization task for a structural mechanics problem:



In structural mechanics, specific optimization tasks can be done quickly and effectively by using specially adapted algorithms. Apart from the mathematical formulations of the optimization problem, these algorithms use additional information concerning the mechanical context of the components and can be specially adapted to solve the problem at hand. The figure below shows the topology optimization of a motor carrier provided by Daimler AG with the SIMULIA Tosca Structure optimization system: