Shape Gradient for Isogeometric Structural Design

The transfer of geometrical data from CAD (Computer Aided Design) to FEA (Finite-Element Analysis) is a bottleneck of automated design optimization procedures, yielding a loss of accuracy and cumbersome software couplings. Isogeometric analysis methods propose a new paradigm that allows one to overcome these difficulties by using a unique geometrical representation, yielding a direct relationship between geometry and analysis. In this study, in the framework of linear elasticity problems, we investigate its use for sensitivity analysis and, more specifically, shape gradient computations.