An Effective Feature Modeling Approach for 3D Structural Topology Design Optimization

This paper presents a feature modeling approach to address the 3D structural topology design optimization with feature constraints. In the proposed algorithm, various features are formed into searchable shape features by the feature modeling technology, and the models of feature elements are established. The feature elements that meet the design requirements are found by employing a feature matching technology, and the constraint factors combined with the pseudo density of elements are initialized according to the optimized feature elements. Then, through controlling the constraint factors and utilizing the optimization criterion method along with the filtering technology of independent mesh, the structural design optimization is implemented. The present feature modeling approach is applied to the feature-based structural topology optimization using empirical data. Meanwhile, the improved mathematical model based on the density method with the constraint factors and the corresponding solution processes are also presented. Compared with the traditional method which requires complicated constraint processing, the present approach is flexibly applied to the 3D structural design optimization with added holes by changing the constraint factors, thus it can design a structure with predetermined features more directly and easily. Numerical examples show effectiveness of the proposed feature modeling approach, which is suitable for the practical engineering design.