In the context of structural optimization we propose a new numerical method based on a combination of the classical shape derivative and of the level-set method for front propagation. We implement this method in two and three space dimensions for a model of linear or nonlinear elasticity. We consider various objective functions with weight and perimeter constraints. The shape derivative is comp...

Numerical methods of shape and topology optimization based on the level set representation and on shape di erentiation make possible topology changes during the optimization process. But they do not solve the inherent problem of illposedness of shape optimization which manifests itself in the existence of many local minima, usually having di erent topologies. The reason is that the level set me...

This paper proposes a topological shape optimization method for the design of multi-physics piezoelectric actuators using a level set method of piecewise constants. A level set function taking level sets of piecewise constants is applied to implicitly represent design boundaries in a multiphase design domain, in which each constant level set denotes one material phase. As a result, only one lev...

In the context of structural optimization via a level-set method we propose a framework to handle geometric constraints related to a notion of local thickness. The local thickness is calculated using the signed distance function to the shape. We formulate global constraints using integral functionals and compute their shape derivatives. We discuss different strategies and possible approximation...

The classical level set method, which represents the boundary of the unknown geometry as the zero-level set of a function, has been shown to be very effective in solving shape optimization problems. The present work addresses the issue of using a level set representation when there are simple geometrical and topological constraints. We propose a logarithmic barrier penalty which acts to enforce...

We consider the optimal distribution of several elastic materials in a fixed working domain. In order to optimize both the geometry and topology of the mixture we rely on the level set method for the description of the interfaces between the different phases. We discuss various approaches, based on Hadamard method of boundary variations, for computing shape derivatives which are the key ingredi...

Level set methods are a popular way to solve the image segmentation problem in computer image analysis. A contour is implicitly represented by the zero level of a signed distance function, and evolved according to a motion equation in order to minimize a cost function. This function defines the objective of the segmentation problem and also includes regularization constraints. Gradient descent ...

We propose a product design optimization method that maximizes the integrated satisfaction level for evaluative factors. Product designs include many evaluative factors that have complex interrelationships. To cope with such circumstances, we construct strategies and a practical method to obtain optimum design solutions. First, the evaluative items for the product are listed and each item is de...

In this paper, the conventional level set methods are extended as an effective approach for shape and topology optimization by the introduction of the radial basis functions (RBFs). The RBF multiquadric splines are used to construct the implicit level set function with a high level of accuracy and smoothness and to discretize the original initial value problem into an interpolation problem. The...