Creating the concept of multimaterial soil-structure topology optimization for structural foundations design

• Grant number: 21/09370-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: November 01, 2021
• End date: April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanics of Solids
• Principal Investigator: Renato Picelli Sanches
• Grantee: Kamilla Emily Santos Silva
• Supervisor: Gil-Ho Yoon
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/26809-7 - Topology optimization of subsea thermoelastic problems, BP.MS

Abstract

Structural optimization methods - such as Topology Optimization (TO) - are often used in different areas and types of structures. Despite the large potential, structural TO is rarely applied in foundations design. In this context, this project approaches a new concept of optimization for foundations design via TO. The multimaterial approach (soil-structure) will be adopted in order to increase the space of the design domain and allow consideration of the optimization of the soil and structural elements, thus obtaining structures with better performance and efficiency. In order to obtain more realistic designs, wind loads and non-linear structural response will be considered. Designs with greater stiffness and reduced material usage are the focus of this work. The BEPE-FAPESP project aims to apply the methodology developed in foundations design for structures subject to loads from fluid-structure interactions, such as towers in general. The research abroad should be supervised by Prof. Gil Ho Yoon at Hanyang University, providing a relevant scientific progress both for the ongoing project and the research community as a whole. (AU)