Multiscale topology optimization with Direct FE2

Abstract

Together with the rapid development in manufacturing technology, multiscale structural topology optimization presents opportunities for the design of components at both the structural and sub-structural scales. A few works on topological optimization based on FE2 computational homogenization to concurrently evolve the structure and sub-structure have been reported. However, significant expertise and coding are required in the conventional implementation of FE2. It is shown that multiscale FE2 optimization can be readily implemented on commercial finite element codes using the Direct FE2 approach. The multiscale analysis is carried out as a single topology optimization job on commercial FE software. Numerical example problems are solved using ABAQUS to demonstrate the proposed method for stiffness optimization. It is shown that Direct FE2 optimization takes only a fraction of the computational time required for optimization with a fine mesh and yet gives comparable optimized stiffness.