Title: Topology optimisation of the discrete structures with the minimum growing ground structure method

Authors: Ali Ghoddosian; Mojtaba Riyahi Vezvari; Mojtaba Sheikhi Azqandi; Mohammad Amin Karimi

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, 3513119111, Iran ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, 3513119111, Iran ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bozorgmehr University of Qaenat, Qaen, 9761986844, Iran ' Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, 60616, USA

Abstract: In previous works in the field of topology optimisation of discrete structures, the starting point of the algorithm in the most cases is a structure that consists of all members (ground structure). In this case, too much computing is needed to obtain optimum topology of the structure. In order to overcome this disadvantage of the structural topology optimisation, the minimum growing ground structure method (MGGSM) was proposed. The method consists of three phases. In the first phase, the minimum stable structure is constructed. In the second phase, this structure, by applying the growth idea becomes a feasible and acceptable structure, and in the third phase, a meta-heuristic optimisation method is used to obtain the optimal topology of the structure. The comparison between the results obtained by the MGGSM and other methods for standard examples shows the efficiency of the MGGSM algorithm to obtain the optimum state.

Keywords: structural optimisation; size and topology optimisation; discrete structures; truss structure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTRUCTE.2018.090749

International Journal of Structural Engineering, 2018 Vol.9 No.1, pp.38 - 49

Received: 14 Jan 2017
Accepted: 02 Aug 2017
Published online: 27 Mar 2018 *

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