• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2008

In this paper, a shape design optimization method for linearly elastic problems is developed using isogeometric approach. In many design optimization problems for practical engineering models, initial raw data usually come from a CAD modeler. Then, designers should convert the CAD data into finite element mesh data since most of conventional design optimization tools are based on finite element analysis. During this conversion, there are some numerical errors due to geometric approximation, which causes accuracy problems in response as well as design sensitivity analyses. As a remedy for this phenomenon, the isogeometric analysis method can be one of the promising approaches for the shape design optimization. The main idea of isogeometric approach is that the basis functions used in analysis is exactly the same as the ones representing the geometry. This geometrically exact model can be used in the shape sensitivity analysis and design optimization as well. Therefore the shape design sensitivity with high accuracy can be obtained, which is very essential for a gradient-based optimization. Through numerical examples, it is verified that the shape design optimization based on an isogeometic approach works well.