scholarly journals Structural Topology Design Optimization Using the Binary Bat Algorithm

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulkhaliq A. Jaafer ◽  
Mustafa Al-Bazoon ◽  
Abbas O. Dawood

In this study, the binary bat algorithm (BBA) for structural topology optimization is implemented. The problem is to find the stiffest structure using a certain amount of material and some constraints using the bit-array representation method. A new filtering algorithm is proposed to make BBA find designs with no separated objects, no checkerboard patterns, less unusable material, and higher structural performance. A volition penalty function for topology optimization is also proposed to accelerate the convergence toward the optimal design. The main effect of using the BBA lies in the fact that the BBA is able to handle a large number of design variables in comparison with other well-known metaheuristic algorithms. Based on the numerical results of four benchmark problems in structural topology optimization for minimum compliance, the following conclusions are made: (1) The BBA with the proposed filtering algorithm and penalty function are effective in solving large-scale numerical topology optimization problems (fine finite elements mesh). (2) The proposed algorithm produces solid-void designs without gray areas, which makes them practical solutions that are applicable in manufacturing.

Author(s):  
Kuang-Wu Chou ◽  
Chang-Wei Huang

This study proposes a new element-based method to solve structural topology optimization problems with non-uniform meshes. The objective function is to minimize the compliance of a structure, subject to a volume constraint. For a structure of a fixed volume, the method is intended to find a topology that could almost conform to the compliance minimum. The method is refined from the evolutionary switching method, whose policy of exchanging elements is improved by replacing some empirical decisions with ones according to optimization theories. The method has the evolutionary stage and the element exchange stage to conduct topology optimization. The evolutionary stage uses the evolutionary structural optimization method to remove inefficient elements until the volume constraint is satisfied. The element exchange stage performs a procedure refined from the element exchange method. Notably, the procedures of both stages are refined to conduct non-uniform finite element meshes. The proposed method was implemented to use the Abaqus Python scripting interface to call the services of Abaqus such as running analysis and retrieving the output database of an analysis. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed optimization method could determine the optimal topology of a structure that is subject to a volume constraint and whose mesh is non-uniform.


Author(s):  
Tao Jiang ◽  
Mehran Chirehdast

Abstract In this paper, structural topology optimization is extended to systems design. Locations and patterns of connections in a structural system that consists of multiple components strongly affect its performance. Topology of connections is defined, and a new classification for structural optimization is introduced that includes the topology optimization problem for connections. A mathematical programming problem is formulated that addresses this design problem. A convex approximation method using analytical gradients is used to solve the optimization problem. This solution method is readily applicable to large-scale problems. The design problem presented and solved here has a wide range of applications in all areas of structural design. The examples provided here are for spot-weld and adhesive bond joints. Numerous other potential applications are suggested.


1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Chapman ◽  
M. J. Jakiela

The genetic algorithm (GA), an optimization technique based on the theory of natural selection, is applied to structural topology design problems. After reviewing the genetic algorithm and previous research in structural topology optimization, we detail the chromosome-to-design representation which enables the genetic algorithm to perform structural topology optimization. Extending our prior investigations, this article first compares our genetic-algorithm-based technique with homogenization methods in the minimization of a structure’s compliance subject to a maximum volume constraint. We then use our technique to generate topologies combining high structural performance with a variety of material connectivity characteristics which arise directly from our discretized design representation. After discussing our findings, we describe potential future work.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailu Shimels Gebremedhen ◽  
Dereje Engida Woldemichael ◽  
Fakhruldin Mohd Hashim

Abstract In this paper a firefly algorithm based hybrid algorithm through retaining global convergence of firefly algorithm and ability of generating connected topologies of optimality criteria (OC) method is proposed as an alternative method to solve stress-based topology optimization problems. Lower and upper limit of design variables (0 and 1) were used to find initial material distribution to initialize firefly algorithm based section of the hybrid algorithm. Input parameters, number of fireflies and number function evaluations were determined before implementation of firefly algorithm to solve formulated problems. Since direct application of firefly algorithm cannot generate connected topologies, outputs from firefly algorithm were used as an initial input material distribution for OC method. The proposed method was validated using two-dimensional benchmark problems and the results were compared with results using OC method. Weight percentage reduction, maximum stress induced, optimal material distribution and compliance were used to compare results. Results from the proposed method showed that the proposed method can generate connected topologies and generated topologies are free from interference of end users, which only dependence on boundary conditions or the design variables. From the results, the objective function (weight of the design domain) can be further reduced in the range of 5% to 15% compared to OC method.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailu Shimels Gebremedhen ◽  
Dereje Engida Woldemichael ◽  
Fakhruldin Mohd Hashim

Abstract In this paper, a firefly algorithm based hybrid algorithm through retaining global convergence of firefly algorithm and ability to generate connected topologies of optimality criteria (OC) method is proposed as an alternative method to solve stress-based topology optimization problems. The lower and upper limit of design variables (0 and 1) were used to find initial material distribution to initialize the firefly algorithm based section of the hybrid algorithm. Input parameters, the number of fireflies, and number function evaluations were determined before the implementation of the firefly algorithm to solve formulated problems. Since the direct application of the firefly algorithm cannot generate connected topologies, outputs from the firefly algorithm were used as an initial input material distribution for the OC method. The proposed method was validated using two-dimensional benchmark problems and the results were compared with results using the OC method. Weight percentage reduction, maximum stress-induced, optimal material distribution, and compliance were used to compare results. Results from the proposed method showed that the proposed method can generate connected topologies and generated topologies are free from the interference of end-users, which only dependence on boundary conditions or the design variables. From the results, the objective function (weight of the design domain) can be further reduced in the range of 5% to 15% compared to the OC method.


Author(s):  
Colin D. Chapman ◽  
Kazuhiro Saitou ◽  
Mark J. Jakiela

Abstract The Genetic Algorithm, a search and optimization technique based on the theory of natural selection, is applied to problems of structural topology optimization. Given a structure’s boundary conditions and maximum allowable design domain, a discretized design representation is created. Populations of genetic algorithm “chromosomes” are then mapped into the design representation, creating potentially optimal structure topologies. Utilizing genetics-based operators such as crossover and mutation, generations of increasingly-desirable structure topologies are created. In this paper, the use of the genetic algorithm (GA) in structural topology optimization is presented. An overview of the genetic algorithm will describe the genetics-based representations and operators used in a typical genetic algorithm search. After defining topology optimization and its relation to the broader area of structural optimization, a review of previous research in GA-based and non-GA-based structural optimization is provided. The design representations, and methods for mapping genetic algorithm “chromosomes” into structure topology representations, are then detailed. Several examples of genetic algorithm-based structural topology optimization are provided: we address the optimization of beam cross-section topologies and cantilevered plate topologies, and we also investigate efficient techniques for using finite element analysis in a genetic algorithm-based search. Finally, a description of potential future work in genetic algorithm-based structural topology optimization is offered.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailu Shimels Gebremedhen ◽  
Dereje Engida Woldemichael ◽  
Fakhruldin Mohd Hashim

Abstract In this paper, a firefly algorithm based hybrid algorithm through retaining global convergence of firefly algorithm and ability to generate connected topologies of optimality criteria (OC) method is proposed as an alternative method to solve stress-based topology optimization problems. The lower and upper limit of design variables (0 and 1) were used to find initial material distribution to initialize the firefly algorithm based section of the hybrid algorithm. Input parameters, the number of fireflies, and the number of function evaluations were determined before the implementation of the firefly algorithm to solve formulated problems. Since the direct application of the firefly algorithm cannot generate connected topologies, outputs from the firefly algorithm were used as an initial input material distribution for the OC method. The proposed method was validated using two-dimensional benchmark problems and the results were compared with results using the OC method. Weight percentage reduction, maximum stress-induced, optimal material distribution, and compliance were used to compare results. Results from the proposed method showed that the proposed method can generate connected topologies which are free from the interference of end-users, and only depend on boundary conditions or design variables. From the results, the objective function (weight of the design domain) can be further reduced in the range of 5% to 15% compared to the OC method.


Author(s):  
K-Y Tseng ◽  
C-B Zhang ◽  
C-Y Wu

Particle swarm optimization (PSO), a heuristic optimization method, has been successfully applied in solving many optimization problems in real-value search space. The original binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) uses the concept of bit flipping of the binary string to convert the velocity from a real code into a binary code. However, the conversion process cannot be reversed, and it is difficult to extend this framework to solve certain discrete optimization problems. An enhanced binary particle swarm algorithm is proposed in this study based on pure binary bit-string frameworks to deal with structural topology optimization problems. Further, two enhancement strategies, stress-based strategy and pair-switched strategy, were developed to improve the performance of the proposed algorithm for topology optimization of structure. The results of experimental cases demonstrated in this study show that the proposed enhanced binary particle swarm optimization (EBPSO) with two developed strategies is an efficient population-based approach for finding the optimal design for structural topology optimization problems of minimum compliance design and minimum weight design.


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