Evolutionary topology optimization for elastoplastic structures via isogeometric analysis

In this article, an evolutionary isogeometric topology optimization method for elastoplastic materials while minimizing compliance is proposed. The material and constitutive models are grounded in the framework of finite strain nonlinear isotropic hardened plasticity, and the yield surfaces undergo updates through an explicit numerical scheme of elastic prediction/plasticity correction. The application of isogeometric analysis is intended to meet the requirements of high-order continuity between adjacent elements during transitional states. For evolutionary-based optimization, adjoint sensitivity expressions are developed under displacement-loaded control, and the isogeometric realization is performed. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed method performs well with different models and is effective for scenarios with various displacement-loaded specifications. The comparison with finite element results shows that the proposed technique yields fast yet accurate solutions.