Discrete sensitivity-based evolutionary design optimization

The concept of evolving the optimum topology design of a region undergoing structural loading by slow removal or addition of material has matured over the last ten years and several commercial FEA design codes now follow such a simple fully stressed design route. The development of a variety of sensitivity terms for the fullest range of physical situations will be discussed in this paper. The sensitivities are used to achieve a desirable extreme of some composite objective functions or to avoid or target certain goals. In terms of individual sensitivities currently available, this paper develops a variety of composite gradients for multi-criteria, multi-constraint and multi-physical design problems. Several illustrative optimum practical design examples are presented.