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Section: New Results
Shape and topology optimization
Geometric shape optimization
Participant : Grégoire Allaire.
With Ch. Dapogny and P. Frey, we propose a new approach for geometry and topology optimization of structures which benefits from an accurate description of shapes at each stage of the iterative process (by means of a mesh amenable for mechanical analyses) while retaining the whole versatility of the level set method when it comes to accounting for their evolution. The key ingredients of this method are two operators for switching from a meshed representation of a domain to an implicit one, and conversely; this notably brings into play an algorithm for generating the signed distance function to an arbitrary discrete domain, and a mesh generation algorithm for implicitly-defined geometries.
Worst-case design shape optimization
Participant : Grégoire Allaire.
with Ch. Dapogny, we propose a deterministic method for optimizing a structure with respect to its worst possible behavior when a "small" uncertainty exists over some of its features. The main idea is to linearize the considered cost function with respect to the uncertain parameters, then to consider the supremum function of the obtained linear approximation, which can be rewritten as a more classical function of the design, owing to standard adjoint techniques from optimal control theory. The resulting linearized worst-case objective function turns out to be the sum of the initial cost function and of a norm of an adjoint state function, which is dual with respect to the considered norm over perturbations.
Multi-phase structural optimization
Participant : Grégoire Allaire.
With Ch. Dapogny, G. Delgado and G. Michailidis, we consider the optimal distribution of several elastic materials in a fixed working domain. In order to optimize both the geometry and topology of the mixture we rely on the level set method for the description of the interfaces between the different phases. We discuss various approaches, based on Hadamard method of boundary variations, for computing shape derivatives which are the key ingredients for a steepest descent algorithm. The shape gradient obtained for a sharp interface involves jump of discontinuous quantities at the interface which are difficult to numerically evaluate. Therefore we suggest an alternative smoothed interface approach which yields more convenient shape derivatives. We rely on the signed distance function and we enforce a fixed width of the transition layer around the interface (a crucial property in order to avoid increasing "grey" regions of fictitious materials). It turns out that the optimization of a diffuse interface has its own interest in material science, for example to optimize functionally graded materials.
Level-Set Method
Participant : Olivier Pantz.
We have begin to work, with Gabriel Delagado, on a new level-set optimization method, based on a gradient method. The key idea consists in computing directly the derivative of the discretized cost functions. The main advantage is that it is usually more simple to implement than the standard approach (consisting in using a discretized version of the gradient of the cost function). Moreover, the results obtained are as good or even better than the one obtained in previous works. Nevertheless, this method has its drawbacks, since the cost function is only derivable almost everywhere (the zero level-set has to be transverse to the triangulation of the mesh). It follows that convergence toward the minimum by the gradient method is not granted. To overcome this problem, we intend to use a mix-formulation for the state function. Unfortunately, such a formulation, in the case of linear elasticity is quite difficult to obtain. We thus intend to begin with the simplest scalar case, for which a lot more hybrid formulations are available.
Optimization of a sodium fast reactor core
Participants : Grégoire Allaire, Olivier Pantz.
In collaboration with D. Schmidt, G. Allaire and E. Dombre, we apply the geometrical shape optimization method for the design of a SFR (Sodium Fast reactor) core in order to minimize a thermal counter-reaction known as the sodium void effect. In this kind of reactor, by increasing the temperature, the core may become liable to a strong increase of reactivity , a key-parameter governing the chain-reaction at quasi-static states. We first use the 1 group energy diffusion model and give the generalization to the 2 groups energy equation. We then give some numerical results in the case of the 1 group energy equation. Note that the application of our method leads to some designs whose interfaces can be parametrized by very smooth curves which can stand very far from realistic designs. We don't explain here the method that it would be possible to use for recovering an operational design but there exists several penalization methods that could be employed to this end. This work was partially sponsored by EDF. Our results will be published in the proceedings of the CEMRACS'11, during which part of the results have been obtained.