Design of buckling constrained multiphase material structures using continuum topology optimization

This study contributes to a possibility of evaluating composite structures configuration such as steel and concrete using buckling and volume constraints based on multi-material topology optimization. A Jacobi active-phase algorithm is used to generate multiphase topology optimization. It provides a rational solution appropriated to the topology optimizer, Method of Moving Asymptotes due to the conflict in updating the design variables. A modified material interpolation scheme solving spurious buckling modes problem which occurs in the multi-material topology optimization process is given and discussed. An investigation of buckling constraint parameter is described. It allows a single-objective minimum compliance topology optimization to obtain two objectives of maximizing both structure stiffness and first buckling load factor. The optimal changing topologies of single material structure and multi-material structure corresponding to different buckling constraints are presented. Numerical examples of compression-only structures and compression-tension structures considering structural instability are performed using both single material and multiple materials to verify the efficiency and superiority of the present method.