Topological Shape Optimization Based on Harmony Search Method

Abstract

A new topological shape optimization scheme based on the harmony search (HS) method is proposed, which provides an optimized structural shape for topology and shape optimization simultaneously via shape optimization only. The parameters of the HS method such as harmony memory considering rate, pitch adjusting rate, and band width for topological shape optimization are suggested. Additionally, new schemes such as boundary element index and pitch control number for more stable and robust optimized shape are implemented, and the results of the proposed algorithm are compared with those of the discrete level set method (LSM) for some numerical examples to verify the effectiveness and applicability. From these results, it is shown that objective values and optimized topological shape of the proposed algorithm are similar and convergence rate is improved at least 42% compared to those of the discrete LSM.