Shape optimization of axisymmetric solids with the finite cell method using a fixed grid

Abstract

In this work, a design procedure extending the B-spline based finite cell method into shape optimization is developed for axisymmetric solids involving the centrifugal force effect. We first replace the traditional conforming mesh in the finite element method with structured cells that are fixed during the whole design process with a view to avoid the sophisticated re-meshing and eventual mesh distortion. Then, B-spline shape functions are further implemented to yield a high-order continuity field along the cell boundary in stress analysis. By means of the implicit description of the shape boundary, stress sensitivity is analytically derived with respect to shape design variables. Finally, we illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed protocol by several numerical test cases as well as a whole design procedure carried out on an aeronautic turbine disk.