Topology optimization for transient thermomechanical coupling problems

Abstract

Thermal deformation is a cause of damage to mechanical components that operate at high temperatures, requiring structural designs that reduce thermal deformation. Given the changes in temperature and deformation that occur during the operation of devices containing mechanical components, nonstationarity is a key consideration. Therefore, we propose topology optimization for transient thermomechanical coupling problems. We focused on a thermoelastic model consisting of two-phase materials. We treated complete transient thermomechanical coupling problems in which we can consider the time dependence of both temperature and displacement. We applied the step-by-step integration method to deal with the arbitrary profiles of mechanical load and heat flux over time. An interpolation scheme of material properties was discussed as an approach to resolve the grayscale issues involved in the thermal load. We propose a highly accurate sensitivity analysis method for transient thermomechanical coupling problems. Numerical examples are presented to confirm the validity of the proposed method.