Optimal topology selection of continuum structures with stress and displacement constraints

Abstract

This paper presents three performance indices developed by using the scaling design approach for assisting the selection of optimal topologies for the minimum-weight design of continuum structures subject to stress and displacement constraints. These performance indices are incorporated in the Evolutionary Structural Optimization (ESO) method to monitor the optimization process from which optimal topologies can be identified. Examples provided demonstrate that the proposed performance indices are effective indicators of material efficiency and can be used to compare the efficiency of structural topologies generated by different optimization methods.