• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.79-94
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• 2010

This study shows how uncertainties of data like material properties quantitatively have an influence on structural topology optimization results for dynamic problems, here such as both optimal topology and shape. In general, the data uncertainties may result in uncertainties of structural behaviors like deflection or stress in structural analyses. Therefore optimization solutions naturally depend on the uncertainties in structural behaviors, since structural behaviors estimated by the structural analysis method like FEM need to execute optimization procedures. In order to quantitatively estimate the effect of data uncertainties on topology optimization solutions of dynamic problems, a so-called interval analysis is utilized in this study, and it is a well-known non-stochastic approach for uncertainty estimate. Topology optimization is realized by using a typical SIMP method, and for dynamic problems the optimization seeks to maximize the first-order eigenfrequency subject to a given material limit like a volume. Numerical applications topologically optimizing dynamic wall structures with varied supports are studied to verify the non-stochastic interval analysis is also suitable to estimate topology optimization results with dynamic problems.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.183-190
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• 2001

Topology optimization. has been evolved into a very efficient conceptual design tool and has been utilized into design engineering processes in many industrial parts. In recent years, topology optimization has become the focus of structural optimization design and has been researched and widely applied both in academy and industry. Traditional topology optimization has been using homogenization method and optimality criteria method. Homogenization method provides relationship equation between structure which includes many holes and stiffness matrix in FEM. Optimality criteria method is used to update design variables while maintaining that volume fraction is uniform. Traditional topology optimization has advantage of good convergence but has disadvantage of too much convergency time and additive checkerboard prevention algorithm is needed. In one way to solve this problem, element remove method is presented. Then, it is applied to many examples. From the results, it is verified that the time of convergence is very improved and optimal designed results is obtained very similar to the results of traditional topology using 8 nodes per element.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.4
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• pp.417-432
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• 2019

Seismic performance analysis of steel-brace reinforced concrete (RC) frame using topology optimization in highly seismic region was discussed in this research. Topology optimization based on truss-like material model was used, which was to minimum volume in full-stress method. Optimized bracing systems of low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise RC frames were established, and optimized bracing systems of substructure were also gained under different constraint conditions. Thereafter, different structure models based on optimized bracing systems were proposed and applied. Last, structural strength, structural stiffness, structural ductility, collapse resistant capacity, collapse probability and demolition probability were studied. Moreover, the brace buckling was discussed. The results show that bracing system of RC frame could be derived using topology optimization, and bracing system based on truss-like model could help to resolve numerical instabilities. Bracing system of topology optimization was more effective to enhance structural stiffness and strength, especially in mid-rise and high-rise frames. Moreover, bracing system of topology optimization contributes to increase collapse resistant capacity, as well as reduces collapse probability and accumulated demolition probability. However, brace buckling might weaken beneficial effects.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2007

Discrete topology optimization processes of structures start from an initial design domain which is described by the topology of constant material densities. During optimization procedures, the structural topology changes in order to satisfy optimization problems in the fixed design domain, and finally, the optimization produces material density distributions with optimal topology. An introduction of initial holes in a design domain presented by Eschenauer et at. has been utilized in order to improve the optimization convergence of boundary-based shape optimization methods by generating finite changes of design variables. This means that an optimal topology depends on an initial topology with respect to topology optimization problems. In this study, it is investigated that various optimal topologies can be yielded under constraints of usable material, when partial solid phases are deposited in an initial design domain and thus initial topology is finitely changed. As a numerical application, structural topology optimization of a simple MBB-Beam is carried out, applying partial circular solid phases with varying sizes to an initial design domain.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.291-298
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• 2006

A parallelized topology design optimization method is developed on a distributed memory system. The parallelization is based on a domain decomposition method and a boundary communication scheme. For the finite element analysis of structural responses and design sensitivities, the PCG method based on a Krylov iterative scheme is employed. Also a parallelized optimization method of optimality criteria is used to solve large-scale topology optimization problems. Through several numerical examples, the developed method shows efficient and acceptable topology optimization results for the large-scale problems.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.182-189
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• 1996

The focus of this study is on the problem of the design of structure of undetermined topology. This problem has been regarded as being the most challenging of structural optimization problems, because of the difficulty of allowing topology to change. Conventional approaches break down when element sizes approach to zero, due to stiffness matrix singularity. In this study, a novel nonlinear Programming formulation of the topology Problem is developed and examined. Its main feature is the ability to account for topology variation through zero element sizes. Stiffness matrix singularity is avoided by embedding the equilibrium equations as equality constraints in the optimization problem. Although the formulation is general, two dimensional plane elasticity examples are presented. The design problem is to find minimum weight of a plane structure of fixed geometry but variable topology, subject to constraints on stress and displacement. Variables are thicknesses of finite elements, and are permitted to assume zero sizes. The examples demonstrate that the formulation is effective for finding at least a locally minimal weight.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.607-621
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• 2015

Wireless sensor technology has been opened up numerous opportunities to advanced health and maintenance monitoring of civil infrastructure. Compare to the traditional tactics, it offers a better way of providing relevant information regarding the condition of building structure health at a lower price. Numerous domestic buildings, especially longer-span buildings have a low frequency response and challenging to measure using deployed numbers of sensors. The way the sensor nodes are connected plays an important role in providing the signals with required strengths. Out of many topologies, the dense and sparse topologies wireless sensor network were extensively used in sensor network applications for collecting health information. However, it is still unclear which topology is better for obtaining health information in terms of greatest components, node's size and degree. Theoretical and computational issues arising in the selection of the optimum topology sensor network for estimating coverage area with sensor placement in building structural monitoring are addressed. This work is an attempt to fill this gap in high-rise building structural health monitoring application. The result shows that, the sparse topology sensor network provides better performance compared with the dense topology network and would be a good choice for monitoring high-rise building structural health damage.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.1157-1176
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• 2015

This study presents optimizing structural topology patterns using regularization of Heaviside function. The present method needs not filtering process to typical SIMP method. Using the penalty formulation of the SIMP approach, a topology optimization problem is formulated in co-operation, i.e., couple-signals, with design variable values of discrete elements and a regularized Heaviside step function. The regularization of discontinuous material distributions is a key scheme in order to improve the numerical problems of material topology optimization with 0 (void)-1 (solid) solutions. The weak forms of an equilibrium equation are expressed using a coupled regularized Heaviside function to evaluate sensitivity analysis. Numerical results show that the incorporation of the regularized Heaviside function and the SIMP leads to convergent solutions. This method is tested using several examples of a linear elastostatic structure. It demonstrates that improved optimal solutions can be obtained without the additional use of sensitivity filtering to improve the discontinuous 0-1 solutions, which have generally been used in material topology optimization problems.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.263-271
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• 2020

In this study, we performed a three-dimensional (3D) topology optimization of a fixed offshore structure to enhance its structural stiffness. The proposed topology optimization is based on the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) method, where a volume constraint is applied to utilize an equivalent amount of material as that used for the rule-based scantling design. To investigate the effects of the main legs of the fixed offshore structure on its structural stiffness, the leg region is selectively considered in the design domain of the topology optimization problem. The obtained optimal designs and the rule-based scantling design of the structure are manufactured by 3D metal printing technology to experimentally validate the topology optimization. The behaviors under compressive loading of the obtained optimal designs are compared with those of the rule-based scantling design using a universal testing machine (UTM). Based on the structural experiments, we concluded that by employing the topology optimization method, the structural stiffness of the structure was enhanced compared to that of the rule-based scantling design for an equal amount of the fabrication material. Furthermore, by effectively combining the topology optimization and rule-based scantling methods, we succeeded in enhancing the structural stiffness and improving the breaking load of the fixed offshore structure.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.3 no.3 s.9
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• pp.67-74
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to improve convergence speed of topology optimization procedure using the existing ESO method and to deal with topology decision of the truss structures according to a boundary condition, such as cantilever type. At the existing ESO topology optimization procedure for the truss structures, the adjustment of member sizes according to target stress has been executed by increasing or reducing a very small value from each member size. In this case, it takes too much iteration till convergence. Accordingly, it is practically hard to obtain optimum topology for a large scale structures. For that reason, it is necessary to improve convergence speed of ESO method more effectively. During the topology decision procedure, member sizes are adjusted by calculating approximate solution for member sizes corresponding to the target stress at every step, the new member sizes are adjusted by such method are applied in FEA procedure of next step.