On the justification of topological derivative for wave-based qualitative imaging of finite-sized defects in bounded media

PurposeThis work contributes to the general problem of justifying the validity of the heuristic that underpins medium imaging using topological derivatives (TDs), which involves the sign and the spatial decay away from the true anomaly of the TD functional. The author considers here the identification of finite-sized (i.e. not necessarily small) anomalies embedded in bounded media and affecting the leading-order term of the acoustic field equation.Design/methodology/approachTD-based imaging functionals are reformulated for analysis using a suitable factorization of the acoustic fields, which is facilitated by a volume integral formulation. The three kinds of TDs (single-measurement, full-measurement and eigenfunction-based) studied in this work are given expressions whose structure allows to establish results on their sign and decay properties. The latter are obtained using analytical methods involving classical identities on Bessel functions and Legendre polynomials, as well as asymptotic approximations predicated on spatial scaling assumptions.FindingsThe sign component of the TD imaging heuristic is found to be valid for multistatic experiments and if the sought anomaly satisfies a bound (on a certain operator norm) involving its geometry, its contrast and the operating frequency. Moreover, upon processing the excitation and data by applying suitably-defined bounded linear operatirs to them, the magnitude component of the TD imaging heuristic is proved under scaling assumptions where the anomaly is small relative to the probing region, the latter being itself small relative to the propagation domain. The author additionally validates both components of the TD imaging heuristic when the probing excitation is taken as an eigenfunction of the source-to-measurement operator, with a focusing effect analogous to that achieved in time-reversal based methods taking place. These findings extend those of earlier studies to the case of finite-sized anomalies embedded in bounded media.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper lies in the theoretical justifications of the TD-based imaging heuristic for finite-sized anomalies embedded in bounded media.

Adjoint-based methods to compute higher-order topological derivatives with an application to elasticity

PurposeThe goal of this paper is to give a comprehensive and short review on how to compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives and potentially higher-order topological derivatives for partial differential equation (PDE) constrained shape functionals.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ the adjoint and averaged adjoint variable within the Lagrangian framework and compare three different adjoint-based methods to compute higher-order topological derivatives. To illustrate the methodology proposed in this paper, the authors then apply the methods to a linear elasticity model.FindingsThe authors compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives of the linear elasticity model for various shape functionals in dimension two and three using Amstutz' method, the averaged adjoint method and Delfour's method.Originality/valueIn contrast to other contributions regarding this subject, the authors not only compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives, but additionally give some insight on various methods and compare their applicability and efficiency with respect to the underlying problem formulation.

Optimum design of two-material bending plate compliant devices

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the optimum design of bending plate compliant mechanisms subjected to pure mechanical excitations using topological-derivative-based topology optimization. The main objective is to design the reinforcement in a plate of base material.Design/methodology/approachThe optimum design is performed by means of a level-set representation method guided by topological derivatives. Kirchhoff and Reissner–Mindlin models are used to solve the linear bending plate problem. A qualitative comparison has been carried out between the optimal obtained topologies for each model.FindingsThe proposed methodology was able to design reinforcement in a plate of the base material. The obtained reinforcements notably improve the device’s behavior. The shape and topology of the reinforcements vary depending on the mechanical plate model considered. In fact, in the Reissner–Mindlin solutions, very thin flexo-torsional hinges connecting big zones of the reinforcement material are designed.Originality/valueUp to date, the synthesis of ortho-planar mechanisms by means of continuum topology optimization was only boarded within a multi-physics context. In this work, the optimal design of pure ortho-planar compliance actuators is addressed. The best performance is found by analyzing the results for two classical mechanical plate models.

An introduction to the topological derivative

PurposeThis paper provides a self-contained introduction to the mathematical aspects of the topological derivative.Design/methodology/approachFull justifications are given on simple model problems following a modern approach based on the averaged adjoint state technique. Extensions are discussed in relation with the literature on the field.FindingsClosed expressions of topological derivatives are obtained and commented.Originality/valueSeveral cases are covered in a unified and didactic presentation. Some elements of proof are novel.

Topological derivatives via one-sided derivative of parametrized minima and minimax

PurposeThe object of the paper is to illustrate how to obtain the topological derivative as a semidifferential in a general and practical mathematical setting for d-dimensional perturbations of a bounded open domain in the n-dimensional Euclidean space.Design/methodology/approachThe underlying methodology uses mathematical notions and powerful tools with ready to check assumptions and ready to use formulas via theorems on the one-sided derivative of parametrized minima and minimax.FindingsThe theory and the examples indicate that the methodology applies to a wide range of problems: (1) compliance and (2) state constrained objective functions where the coupled state/adjoint state equations appear without a posteriori substitution of the adjoint state.Research limitations/implicationsDirect approach that considerably simplifies the analysis and computations.Originality/valueIt was known that the shape derivative was a differential. But the topological derivative is only a semidifferential, that is, a one-sided directional derivative, which is not linear with respect to the direction, and the directions are d-dimensional bounded measures.

Imaging of small penetrable obstacles based on the topological derivative method

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present topological derivatives-based reconstruction algorithms to solve an inverse scattering problem for penetrable obstacles.Design/methodology/approachThe method consists in rewriting the inverse reconstruction problem as a topology optimization problem and then to use the concept of topological derivatives to seek a higher-order asymptotic expansion for the topologically perturbed cost functional. Such expansion is truncated and then minimized with respect to the parameters under consideration, which leads to noniterative second-order reconstruction algorithms.FindingsIn this paper, the authors develop two different classes of noniterative second-order reconstruction algorithms that are able to accurately recover the unknown penetrable obstacles from partial measurements of a field generated by incident waves.Originality/valueThe current paper is a pioneer work in developing a reconstruction method entirely based on topological derivatives for solving an inverse scattering problem with penetrable obstacles. Both algorithms proposed here are able to return the number, location and size of multiple hidden and unknown obstacles in just one step. In summary, the main features of these algorithms lie in the fact that they are noniterative and thus, very robust with respect to noisy data as well as independent of initial guesses.

Sensitivity of the Second Order Homogenized Elasticity Tensor to Topological Microstructural Changes

The multiscale elasticity model of solids with singular geometrical perturbations of microstructure is considered for the purposes, e.g., of optimum design. The homogenized linear elasticity tensors of first and second orders are considered in the framework of periodic Sobolev spaces. In particular, the sensitivity analysis of second order homogenized elasticity tensor to topological microstructural changes is performed. The derivation of the proposed sensitivities relies on the concept of topological derivative applied within a multiscale constitutive model. The microstructure is topologically perturbed by the nucleation of a small circular inclusion that allows for deriving the sensitivity in its closed form with the help of appropriate adjoint states. The resulting topological derivative is given by a sixth order tensor field over the microstructural domain, which measures how the second order homogenized elasticity tensor changes when a small circular inclusion is introduced at the microscopic level. As a result, the topological derivatives of functionals for multiscale models can be obtained and used in numerical methods of shape and topology optimization of microstructures, including synthesis and optimal design of metamaterials by taking into account the second order mechanical effects. The analysis is performed in two spatial dimensions however the results are valid in three spatial dimensions as well.

Asymptotic analysis and topological derivative for 3D quasi-linear magnetostatics

In this paper we study the asymptotic behaviour of the quasilinear $\curl$-$\curl$ equation of 3D magnetostatics with respect to a singular perturbation of the differential operator and prove the existence of the topological derivative using a Lagrangian approach. We follow the strategy proposed in our recent previous work ( https://doi.org/10.1051/cocv/2020035 ) where a systematic and concise way for the derivation of topological derivatives for quasi-linear elliptic problems in $H^1$ is introduced. In order to prove the asymptotics for the state equation we make use of an appropriate Helmholtz decomposition. The evaluation of the topological derivative at any spatial point requires the solution of a nonlinear transmission problem. We discuss an efficient way for the numerical evaluation of the topological derivative in the whole design domain using precomputation in an offline stage. This allows us to use the topological derivative for the design optimization of an electrical machine.