A novel topology design approach using an integrated deep learning network architecture

Abstract

Topology design optimization offers tremendous opportunity in design and manufacturing freedoms by designing and producing a part from the ground-up without a meaningful initial design as required by conventional shape design optimization approaches. Ideally, with adequate problem statements, to formulate and solve the topology design problem using a standard topology optimization process, such as SIMP (Simplified Isotropic Material with Penalization) is possible. In reality, an estimated over thousands of design iterations is often required for just a few design variables, the conventional optimization approach is in general impractical or computationally unachievable for real world applications significantly diluting the development of the topology optimization technology. There is, therefore, a need for a different approach that will be able to optimize the initial design topology effectively and rapidly. Therefore, this work presents a new topology design procedure to generate optimal structures using an integrated Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and convolutional neural network architecture.