Abstract
A flexible problem-specific multiscale topology optimization is introduced to associate different areas of the design domain with diverse microstructures extracted from a dictionary of optimized unit cells. The generation of the dictionary is carried out by exploiting micro-SIMP with AnisoTropic mesh adaptivitY (microSIMPATY) algorithm, which promotes the design of free-form layouts. The proposed methodology is particularized in a proof-of-concept setting for the design of orthotic devices for the treatment of foot diseases. Different patient-specific settings drive the prototyping of customized insoles, which are numerically verified and successively validated in terms of mechanical performances and manufacturability.
Highlights
Cellular materials, characterized by a porous microstructure which properly alternates solid and void, have been engineered in the last years to artificially reproduce the lightweight and the strength properties exhibited by some biological systems, such as bones, honeycombs, sponges, and wood
We propose a highly flexible procedure for multiscale topology optimization characterized by a computationally affordable burden, based on a recent and already successfully validated structural design methodology, which provides some improvements in terms of manufacturability
To find the optimal distribution of material m in the unit cell, we solve problem (1) where we identify the design domain with Y, and the bilinear and linear forms with aij
Summary
Cellular materials, characterized by a porous microstructure which properly alternates solid and void, have been engineered in the last years to artificially reproduce the lightweight and the strength properties exhibited by some biological systems, such as bones, honeycombs, sponges, and wood. The strong interest in cellular materials has favoured the proposal of a wide range of analytical, numerical, and experimental methods for an efficient design of new materials. In this context, topology optimization represents the reference mathematical methodology. Multiscale topology optimization has been proposed as a remedy to overcome such limitations (see, e.g., Rodrigues et al 2002; Sanders et al 2021). This strategy consists in identifying the optimal alternation of void, solid, and microstructures inside the design domain (Auricchio et al 2020; Arabnejad Khanoki and Pasini 2012). The distribution of void, solid, and microstructures can be carried out by the user through a trial-and-error approach, or automatically
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