Topology optimization considering Tsai–Wu yield criterion for composite materials

The increasing popularity of composites reinforced with fiber has spurred the development of sophisticated additive manufacturing technologies, allowing for precise tailoring of fiber orientation for optimization purposes. Despite significant advancements in fiber orientation optimization, the key challenge posed by stress yield criteria still needs to be solved. This work presents a novel optimization approach, aiming to minimize structural volume while incorporating local stress constraints based on the Tsai–Wu criterion. The proposed NDFO-adapt method optimizes material distribution, fiber angles, and the penalization field. This optimization process involves multiple design variables, and new schemes are introduced to determine these variables using an optimization algorithm and adaptive continuations based on the structural grayscale. Numerical examples show the effectiveness of the proposed method, providing valuable insights for optimizing fiber-reinforced materials considering stress constraints with potential applications in the design of lightweight, high-strength structures.