Towards generalized shape and topology optimization

The computational procedures of structural optimization are a combination of several disciplines: computational mechanics, mathematical programming, and computer aided geometrical design. The interactions between the underlying models are very complex and often cannot be treated by a rigorous theory. The present contribution presents three fields of structural optimization where the interactions of shape optimization with non-linear mechanics, shape parametrization, and topology optimization are further developed on the technological basis of adaptive strategies and extended system methods. Illustrative examples are presented which deal with the optimization of a buckling-sensitive panel and several linear elastic, plane stress and shell problems in the context of generalized shape-topology optimization.