A high-level programming-language implementation of topology optimization applied to steady-state Navier-Stokes flow

Abstract

We present a versatile high-level programming-language implementation of nonlinear topology optimization. Our implementation is based on the commercial software package Femlab, and it allows a wide range of optimization objectives to be dealt with easily. We exemplify our method by studies of steady-state Navier-Stokes flow problems, thus extending the work by Borrvall and Petersson on topology optimization of fluids in Stokes flow [Int. J. Num. Meth. Fluids 2003; 41:77--107]. We analyze the physical aspects of the solutions and how they are affected by different parameters of the optimization algorithm. A complete example of our implementation is included as Femlab code in an appendix.