Integrated optimal design of multiphase porous materials and structures

This article presents an extension of the integrated design methodology for topology optimization to multiphase porous materials and structures through maximizing the global stiffness of the overall structure based on the homogenization method. Drawing on concepts in bionics, a two-scale integrated design model of material and structure is proposed, and the criteria for the selection of the fine design of multiphase microstructures are obtained. Combining perimeter constraints and the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) law, the optimal distributions of multiphase materials are obtained by elimination of checkerboards. Influences of the elastic module ratio and the volume fraction of solid phases on optimal design are investigated. Numerical results show that the model is well adapted to the design of multiphase porous materials and structures such as honeycomb panels and sandwich panels.