Truss topology optimization including unilateral contact

Abstract

This work extends the ground structure approach of truss topology optimization to include unilateral contact conditions. The traditional design objective of finding the stiffest truss among those of equal volume is combined with a second objective of achieving a uniform contact force distribution. Design variables are the volume of bars and the gaps between potential contact nodes and rigid obstacles. The problem can be viewed as that of finding a saddle point of the equilibrium potential energy function (a convex problem) or as that of minimizing the external work among all trusses that exhibit a uniform contact force distribution (a nonconvex problem). These two formulations are related, although not completely equivalent: they give the same design, but concerning the associated displacement states, the solutions of the first formulation are included among those of the second but the opposite does not necessarily hold.