Topology optimization of energy-absorbing structures

Abstract This paper presents a method for and examples of topology optimization of energy absorption structures. The topology optimization problem is solved by using the elements as design variables. The sensitivity number of an element is derived from using an adjoint method to address two principal design parameters, namely absorbed energy per unit volume, e 1, and absorbed energy ratio, e 2. Filter techniques are employed to smooth sensitivities in the design space and to eliminate unnecessary structural details below a certain length-scale. The bi-directional evolutionary optimization (BESO) technique is used to search for the optimal design in the whole design domain by gradually removing and adding material. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the capability and effectiveness of the proposed method.