Thermo-mechanical topology optimization

Altair Forum User

Hello everyone

 

I would like to do a thermo-mechanical optimization. The thermo-mechanical analysis is already done successfully. Now I was looking for a documentation or tutorial about this sort of topology optimization, but I could not find anything.

 

Does anybody of you have a link or documentation to share, about thermo-mechanical topology optimizations?

 

I thank you very much in advance!

Altair Forum User

Hi,

 

Could you please elaborate on the thermo-mechanical optimization problem. 
  

Have you gone through the tutorial OS-5090 Thermal Optimization on Aluminum Fins?

 

 

Altair Forum User

Yes I have seen this tutorial. This tutorial is mainly a thermal analysis and optimization.

 

In my case, there is a statically defined component with pressure difference (=mechanic) and a temperature difference (=thermal). So there are basically two load steps, a heat transfert(steady state) load step with SPC=spc_thermal and a linear static load step with SPC=spc_mechanical and LOAD=pressure.

 

Is there something important to take into consideration with this sort of thermo and mechanical optimization?

 

Thank you for your help!

Altair Forum User

@OptiStruct

 

OK, so you have a thermal load case and a structural load case.

 

Does the structural load case take effects of thermal loads?

 

Also, do you want to optimize the structure for structural load case where it takes the response from thermal loads?

Altair Forum User

The structural load case does not take effects on the thermal load case.

 

The volume should be optimized with a stress constraint, so from the structural load case.