Interpreting results from topology optimization using density contours

Abstract

The topology optimization result using material distribution method is a density distribution of the finite elements in the design domain. Interpreting this result has been a major difficulty for integrating topology optimization and shape optimization into an automated structure design procedure. It is also one of the factors that limit the extension of the optimization methods of two-dimensional structures into three-dimensional structures. This paper presents a process for integrating topology optimization and shape optimization. In this process, density contours are used to interpret the topology optimization result, and then further integrate with shape optimization. This is a fully automated procedure, since during this process no human interpretation or intervening is required. This procedure can be extended to the topology and shape optimization of three-dimensional structures. The optimizations of two- and three-dimensional structures are presented in design examples.