Topology Optimization Approaches and Its Application and Prospect in Transportation Engineering

As an advanced structural optimization approach, the essence of topology optimization is to obtain the structural topology configurations with the best performance by seeking the optimal distribution of materials in the design domain under given load and boundary conditions. In recent years, with the continuous development of optimization algorithms and computer science, structural optimization technology has a wide application prospect in aerospace, automobile, ship and other transportation engineering. Based on the theoretical research level, topology optimization approaches and characteristics of discrete and continuous structures are discussed. Then by considering the specific applications of topology optimization in aerospace, automobile, ship and other transportation engineering, the shortcomings of structural topology optimization and the challenges faced by their popularization are pointed out. At the same time, the present situation and development trend of topology optimization industrial software development and application from home and abroad are discussed. At present, the main problem faced by topology optimization is that in the iterative process of large-scale transportation engineering structure optimization, multiple finite element analysis is required which increases the complexity of calculation space and time. By considering the situation, the new discipline direction represented by isogeometric analysis and machine learning to improve the deficiency of topology optimization design is introduced, so as to shorten the design cycle of transportation equipment. and A preliminary discussion on the research trend in the future is also given. © 2024 Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society. All rights reserved.