Is it possible to calculate the stiffness of a optimized shape?

María Plata
María Plata Altair Community Member
edited April 2023 in Community Q&A

Hello everyone,

I have been doing some research about topology optimization in a beam subjected to different type boundary conditions. Obtaining pictures like the following.

image

image

*Boundary conditions-> fixed support on the left side and one load applied in gravity direction.*

In order to do the topology optimization I needed to maximize de stiffness and minimize the mass.

I would like to know if it is possible to obtain the value of the stiffness maximized in each simulation.

Thank you all!

Answers

  • Chayan
    Chayan
    Altair Employee
    edited April 2023

    In a classical topology optimization you are minimizing compliance subject to a defined volume fraction. Compliance is inversely proportional to the stiffness of the part.

    If you looks at the results from your optimization, you should see a .out file as well as two .mvw files. you can load the .mvw files in HyperView, and visualize the result contours as well as visualize the iteration histories. The .out is an ASCII file that also shows the iteration history.

    Additionally, once you have run your topology optimization and decided on a shape, you can generate a new mesh based on the optimized shape and run an analysis on it.

    There is quite a bit more you can do with regards to tweaking your model to get more defined results... Hopefully the help documents, tutorials, and articles in the community, on this topic are able to guide you further.