Mass minimization using the reaction-diffusion level set method by considering local stress constraints in an integral form

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Research in topology optimization with stress constraints has shown that defining the stress constraint locally yields better performance compared to global methods. However, an examination of the formulas for local stress constraints reveals a limitation - the constraint is only satisfied at points where it is explicitly defined, failing to guarantee satisfaction across the entire design domain. To address this shortcoming, this paper proposes utilizing an integral form of the stress constraint. The integral formulation theoretically ensures that the stress constraint is satisfied over whole design domain. The objective is to minimize the mass of plane stress structures using reaction-diffusion level set method while incorporating local stress constraints in this integral form. The methodology utilizes finite element approximations for geometry and displacements, defining local stress constraints through an integral formulation. A Lagrangian function combines objective and constraint functions, with sensitivity analysis performed during optimization based on level set function changes. Structural boundaries are updated using the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The paper presents numerical examples with varying loads and support conditions to demonstrate the effectiveness of this integral stress constraint approach. Results illustrate the capability of the proposed method to generate optimal topologies while satisfying stress constraints across the entire design space.