A new monolithic design approach for topology optimization for transient fluid–structure interaction system

Abstract

This study presents a new topology optimization method for transient coupled fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems. The transient FSI problem is formulated using the monolithic design approach combining the design variables and the governing equations. This new approach allows for the possibility of considering the effect of transient FSI on topologically optimized layouts. Throughout this work, the analysis domain for the fluid and structure is modeled using the unified monolithic approach, in which the structure equation and the Navier–Stokes equation are coupled. With a fixed mesh and design variables assigned to each finite element, the governing equations as well as the involved material properties are interpolated. This modeling and analysis approach provides accurate solutions to the strongly coupled FSI system. An adjoint approach for calculating the transient sensitivity information and a gradient-based optimizer are used. Several numerical examples are solved to reveal the importance of considering the transient FSI. In addition, these examples demonstrate that the present approach can control transient FSI phenomena.