• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2023

In this work, we deal with the feasibility of structural topology optimization for beam designs using retrofits that optimally allocates the reinforcement to the web under the condition that designers set bolt regions for H-beams of different dimensions. Mean compliance or minimal strain energy is considered for the optimization. Volume fraction is given to the design space to assign appropriate steel material quantities. The purpose of this study is to evaluate optimal shapes of stiffeners with the maximum rigidity that improves the axial and shear performance of the H-beam and to satisfy a given safety design standard of H-beam and stiffeners in case arbitrary load effect and resistances. Finally, the effectiveness of stiffness-based topology optimization on stiffeners is verified with several practical applicable examples.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.5 s.248
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• pp.595-601
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• 2006

Design space optimization using design space adjustment and refinement is used to optimize a knuckle in the suspension system of an automobile. This approach is a new efficient method for large-scale topology optimization by virtue of two reasons. First, design space adjustment including design space expansion and reduction is suitable for large-scale problems. Second, the design space refinement can be done globally or locally where and when necessary and thus is very effective in obtaining a target resolution with much less number of elements. Compliance minimization for a knuckle is considered with a realistic working condition to show the effectiveness and superiority of the new approach.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.683-690
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• 2007

Topology optimization techniques have been developed as a very efficient design tool and utilized for design engineering processes in many industrial sections during the past decade. And topology optimization has become the focus into structural optimization design up to now. Recently, thermally actuated compliant mechanisms have a wide range of applications. In this research, the thermo-elastic problem is a coupled problem which has to consider heat transfer analysis and structural analysis. Hence, the thermo-elastic problem has to deal with heat transfer material properties and structural material properties at the same time. The numerical examples are presented. From the results, it was shown that in terms of the displacement after optimization. Moreover, this paper compared thermo-system, elastic-system with thermo-elastic system and was shown a good result of topology optimization while thermo-elastic system was used.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.1053-1057
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• 2004

This paper presents the adjoint variable design sensitivity analysis for thermal systems considering both conduction and convection heat transfer. Both nodal temperature and total heat flow are considered to be objective functions and design sensitivity formulas are derived for each case. For the case of convection heat transfer, the adjoint analysis is carefully proceeded to obtain a precise result. A topology optimization example is examined for a simple planar square plate in order to design a heat exchanger as verification.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.263-275
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• 2015

This study presents conceptual information of newly optimized shapes and connectivity of the so-called outrigger truss system for modern tall buildings that resists lateral loads induced by wind and earthquake forces. In practice, the outrigger truss consists of triangular or Vierendeel types to stiffen tall buildings, and the decision of outrigger design has been qualitatively achieved by only engineers' experience and intuition, including information of structural behaviors, although outrigger shapes and the member's connectivity absolutely affect building stiffness, the input of material, construction ability and so on. Therefore the design of outrigger trusses needs to be measured and determined according to scientific proofs like reliable optimal design tools. In this study, at first the shape and connectivity of an outrigger truss system are visually evaluated by using a conceptual design tool of the classical topology optimization method, and then are quantitatively investigated with respect to a structural safety as stiffness, an economical aspect as material quantity, and construction characteristics as the number of member connection. Numerical applications are studied to verify the effectiveness of the proposed design process to generate a new shape and connectivity of the outrigger for both static and dynamic responses.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2003

Vibration analysis using component mode synthesis method was carried out to identify that to some extent each component contributed to the whole vibration of a powertrain consisting of several components. This analysis helped decide the component to be modified to reduce the powertrain weight, without degrading its current vibration characteristics. As a result, a cylinder block was chosen as a redesign object. Topology optimization analysis was performed to design the topology of the cylinder block whose flange connected with the transmission was chosen to be the design domain. After all, a new prototype of cylinder block was manufactured based on the analysis results for the verification experiment. It was confirmed from the analytical and experimental results that u optimally designed cylinder block had an advantage over the current one in the powertrain weight, with the powertrain vibration characteristics improved slightly.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.667-694
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• 2015

The suspended dome system is a new structural form that has become popular in the construction of long-span roof structures. Suspended dome is a kind of new pre-stressed space grid structure that has complex mechanical characteristics. In this paper, an optimum topology design algorithm is performed using the enhanced colliding bodies optimization (ECBO) method. The length of the strut, the cable initial strain, the cross-sectional area of the cables and the cross-sectional size of steel elements are adopted as design variables and the minimum volume of each dome is taken as the objective function. The topology optimization on lamella dome is performed by considering the type of the joint connections to determine the optimum number of rings, the optimum number of joints in each ring, the optimum height of crown and tubular sections of these domes. A simple procedure is provided to determine the configuration of the dome. This procedure includes calculating the joint coordinates and steel elements and cables constructions. The design constraints are implemented according to the provision of LRFD-AISC (Load and Resistance Factor Design-American Institute of Steel Constitution). This paper explores the efficiency of lamella dome with pin-joint and rigid-joint connections and compares them to investigate the performance of these domes under wind (according to the ASCE 7-05), dead and snow loading conditions. Then, a suspended dome with pin-joint single-layer reticulated shell and a suspended dome with rigid-joint single-layer reticulated shell are discussed. Optimization is performed via ECBO algorithm to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the ECBO in creating optimal design for suspended domes.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.360-365
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• 2007

This work is concerned with the topology optimization of three-dimensional cooling fins or heat sinks. Motivated by earlier success of the Internal Element Connectivity Method (I-ECP) method in two-dimensional problems, the extension of I-ECP to three-dimensional problems is carried out. The main efforts were made to maintain the numerical trouble-free characteristics of I-ECP for full three-dimensional problems; a serious numerical problem appearing in thermal topology optimization is erroneous temperature undershooting. The effectiveness of the present implementation was checked through the design optimization of three-dimensional fins.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.497-510
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• 2014

Seismic and wind load performances of buildings are commonly improved by using bracing systems. In practice, standard bracing systems, such as X, Y, V, and K types are used. To determine the appropriate bracing type, the designer uses trial & error method among the standard bracings to obtain better results. However, using topology optimization yields more efficient bracing systems or new bracing can be developed depending on building and loading types. Determination of optimum bracing type for minimum deformation on a building under the effect of wind load is given in this study. A new bracing system is developed by using topology optimization. Element removal method is used to determine and remove the comparatively inefficient materials. Optimized bracing is compared with proposed bracing types available in the related literature. Maximum deformation value of building is used as performance indicator to compare effectiveness of different bracings to resist wind loads. The proposed bracing, yielded 99%, deformation reduction compared to the unbraced building.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.73-88
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• 2023

This paper presents a novel implicit level set method for topology optimization of functionally graded (FG) structures with pre-existing discontinuities (pre-cracks) using radial basis functions (RBF). The mathematical formulation of the optimization problem is developed by incorporating RBF-based nodal densities as design variables and minimizing compliance as the objective function. To accurately capture crack-tip behavior, crack-tip enrichment functions are introduced, and an eXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) is employed for analyzing the mechanical response of FG structures with strong discontinuities. The enforcement of boundary conditions is achieved using the Hamilton-Jacobi method. The study provides detailed mathematical expressions for topology optimization of systems with defects using FG materials. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and reliability of the proposed methodology.