A continuum-based shape and configuration design sensitivity analysis method for a finite deformation elastoplastic shell structure with frictionless contact has been developed. Shell elastoplasticity is treated based on the projection method that performs the return mapping on the subspace defined by the zero-normal stress condition. An incrementally objective integration scheme is used in the context of finite deformation shell analysis, wherein stress objectivity is preserved for finite rotation increments. The penalty regularization method is used to approximate the contact variational inequality. The material derivative concept is used to develop continuum based design sensitivity. The design sensitivity equation is solved without iteration at each converged load step. Numerical implementation of the proposed shape and configuration design sensitivity analysis is carried out using the meshfree method. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method is illustrated using numerical examples.
