Structural topology optimization: Extensibility and attainability

Extensibility and attainability of topology optimization are discussed by investigating a variety of simultaneous topology opti-mization methods extended from the standard formulation. First, the state of the art is highlighted through systematic classification of developed methods, such as simultaneous topology optimizations of microstructure and macrostructure, structure and supports, structure and design-dependent loads, structure and locations of involved components. Second, some recent results about simultaneous topology optimization of structure and applied loads are presented. It is shown that the simultaneous topology optimization is an integrated methodology that extends the concept of standard topology optimization in the sense of systematic design. The presence of more than one kind of design variable of different nature makes the optimization problem complex but enlarges the design space to attain the optimization.