Stankiewicz G, Dev C, Steinmann P (2026)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2026
Book Volume: 69
Article Number: 147
Journal Issue: 6
DOI: 10.1007/s00158-026-04343-5
Variable thickness topology optimization (VTTO) is a potent methodology for designing high-performance, high-stiffness sheet structures. However, this method frequently encounters two primary challenges: (1) the formation of undesirable low-thickness regions, which present manufacturing difficulties, and (2) the blurring of structural edges. This blurring is an artifact inherent to the regularization filters required for well-posedness. This paper proposes solutions to address both challenges. First, to mitigate low-thickness regions, we introduce a robust, combined approach. This strategy utilizes a SIMP-based penalization and an updated projection method, which effectively suppresses nearly all low-thickness domains. Second, the main contribution of this work is a novel method to deblur structural edges, termed the density-gradient-informed (DGI) projection. This projection utilizes local density gradient information. It selectively applies a strong projection in high-gradient regions (i.e., structural edges) to restore sharpness, while minimally affecting low-gradient regions within the structure’s interior. Numerical examples demonstrate that the DGI projection successfully deblurs the structural edges, restoring a distinct solid-void transition, while preserving the internal form. Most importantly, this significant improvement in edge definition is achieved with a negligible impact on the final structural compliance. This establishes the DGI projection as a non-invasive and effective regularization tool for enhancing VTTO designs.
APA:
Stankiewicz, G., Dev, C., & Steinmann, P. (2026). Deblurring structural edges in variable thickness topology optimization via density-gradient-informed projection. Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 69(6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-026-04343-5
MLA:
Stankiewicz, Gabriel, Chaitanya Dev, and Paul Steinmann. "Deblurring structural edges in variable thickness topology optimization via density-gradient-informed projection." Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization 69.6 (2026).
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