Book chapter
Does Continuum Topology Optimization Have a Place in Design of Large-Scale Structures?
Structures 2001, pp.1-8
2001
DOI: 10.1061/40558(2001)154
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present a new continuum structural topology optimization formulation, and to then investigate its feasibility/utility in obtaining design concepts for long-span bridges. After identifying the instability of continuum structural topology optimization methods based on element level design variables, a novel formulation based on nodal design variables is presented. The proposed node-based formulation is immune to checkerboarding instabilities and can thus be used without spatial filtering with low order (C0 continuous) finite elements. The new stabilized formulation is exercised on the topological design of different long-span (1000 – 2000m) bridge forms subjected to both traffic and self-weight loadings. In two dimensions, sparse, efficient concept designs are obtained with only modest computational effort. However since the long-span designs obtained use primarily extensional compression, it is concluded that accounting for geometric stiffening/softening would increase the utility of continuum topology optimization methods in the design of large-scale structures.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Does Continuum Topology Optimization Have a Place in Design of Large-Scale Structures?
- Creators
- Salam RahmatallaColby C Swan
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Structures 2001, pp.1-8
- DOI
- 10.1061/40558(2001)154
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2001
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984197518402771
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