Design of Extreme Materials Through Topology Optimization and Rapid Prototyping Techniques

• Grant number: 15/08316-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: January 15, 2016
• End date: January 14, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering - Aerospace Structures
• Principal Investigator: Cícero Ribeiro de Lima
• Grantee: Cícero Ribeiro de Lima
• Host Investigator: Glaucio Hermogenes Paulino
• Host Institution: Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas (CECS). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Georgia Institute of Technology, United States

Abstract

Unlike conventional materials, the auxetic materials increase the dimensions of its cross section when stretched, and decrease when compressed. In the last decades, the importance of these materials has been highlighted in the scientific community, aiming engineering applications. Essentially, this research project aims to develop a methodology for extreme materials design (auxétic materials, for example) based on the application of the Topology Optimization method (MOT), such that it can be manufactured by rapid prototyping techniques (RP). The MOT is a powerful computational method of structural optimization that combines optimization methods with the Finite Element Method (FEM), to distribute materials within a design domain in order to minimize (or maximize) the specified objective function, satisfying given constraints imposed to the optimization problem. The RP techniques can be applied to produce objects with varying density of each region of the object body. Therefore, these seem very suitable for the manufacturing of complex geometry structures synthesized by MOT. However, designs eligible to be manufactured by RP techniques have limiting manufacturing requirements associated, such as minimum thickness size and maximum overhang angle. This work address ways to constrain topology optimization problem by using different formulations for the objective function and constraints, in order to find more practical solutions from the point of view of manufacturing by RP techniques. The project will be held at Georgia Tech (USA), under the supervision of Prof. Glaucio H. Paulino, who has extensive experience in research in the areas of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, and over 200 scholarly publications. The proposed research project may contribute greatly to the development area of different materials for the aerospace industry, allowing the design of increasingly lightweight components and with high performance.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE LIMA, CICERO R.; PAULINO, GLAUCIO H.. Auxetic structure design using compliant mechanisms: A topology optimization approach with polygonal finite elements. ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING SOFTWARE, v. 129, p. 69-80, MAR 2019. (15/08316-2)

VATANABE, SANDRO L.; LIPPI, TIAGO N.; DE LIMA, CICERO R.; PAULINO, GLAUCIO H.; SILVA, EMILIO C. N.. Topology optimization with manufacturing constraints: A unified projection-based approach. ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING SOFTWARE, v. 100, p. 97-112, OCT 2016. (15/08316-2)