Shape Optimization Design for a Centrifuge Structure with Multi Topological Configurations Based on the B-Spline FCM and GCMMA

• Main Authors: Xinyao Li, Liangli He
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: geotechnical centrifuge; topological configuration; b-spline finite cell method; globally convergent method of moving asymptotes; shape optimization
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/2/620

The geotechnical centrifuge applied in various geotechnical engineering fields provides physical data for investigating mechanisms of deformation and failure and for validating analytical and numerical methods by simulating and studying the geotechnical problems. The basket, as one of the important components used to place the inspection model of centrifugal test, is designed to withstand complex loads. This paper presents an optimization design method for the basket based on the weighted B-Spline Finite Cell Method (FCM) and the globally-convergent method of moving asymptotes (GCMMA). In order to obtain a superior design solution, four topological configurations, i.e., original single web, porous dual web, open deep groove dual web, and connected closed dual web, are investigated and optimized. The mass is selected as the optimization objective, while key shape parameters and stress are regarded as design variables and the constraint, respectively. By optimization, the final masses of the four configurations are reduced greatly compared with the initial configurations, where the greatest weight loss, in case 4, is 10.6%. This indicates that the weighted B-Spline FCM and GCMMA can be well applied for shape optimization of structure in engineering design. In contrast to the final single web adopted in the traditional basket design in case 1, the final configuration in case 4, i.e., connected closed dual web, has the least mass. The final mass is reduced by 133.38 kg when the centrifuge strength requirement is met. Therefore, the final configuration in case 4, where the maximum von-Mises stress is 398.72MPa and mass is 781.82 kg, is superior to the three other configurations.