Topology Optimization to Minimize Reaction Forces

Altair Forum User
Altair Forum User
Altair Employee
edited October 2020 in Community Q&A

Hello, this is my first post.

 

I am working on a theoretical problem. Lets say I have some design space for a bracket and I know the geometric locations of the interface connections, like bolt holes or something similar.

 

Optimization Goal: Minimize reaction forces at interfaces due to load

Constraints: Volfrac = <1.0

 

So I created a design variable with an equation for the total reaction force. Its a sum of the reaction forces at each bolt hole and is shown below. To get the bolt hole forces, i did the following. The bolt holes have RBE2 elements connected to springs that are fixed on the opposite end. For each spring there is a total displacement optimization response (the xi values below) for the unfixed end of the springs. I'm using the known stiffness of the springs and the displacement responses to calculate the forces in the springs. (F=K*d)

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>DEQUATION.thumb.JPG.026f55bf9e82cc9a026935d5b86cc264.JPG

 

Im currently trying to get this to work for one loadstep, but I was wondering... What if I want to do a series of loadsteps, and weight them like a WCOMP response. Is there a way with the dequation or some other card to do a weighted set of loadcases and minimize the reaction forces like I have described above? If I have orthoganal loads, the optimization solution will be very different for each loadstep.

 

Thanks, Clint

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