ABSTRACT
In the design of aeronautical, mechanical and civil engineering structures, the engineer needs to design the exact topology of a structure for a given design space, support and loading conditions. In the absence of an efficient topology design tool, the selection of topology in current design practice usually involves a trial-and-error process based on the designer’s intuition and past experience. The automation of the design process and optimal structural design are motivated by the considerations of limited material resources, technological competition and environmental issues. Topology optimization forms an important part of the performance-based design process. Topology optimization of continuum structures has recently attracted considerable attentions in the field of structural optimization. It has the potential to become an automated design tool for practicing aeronautical, mechanical and civil engineers.
