Design of the Stiffener Layout for Dome Structures Based on Topology Optimization

The inner steel plate of the containment dome in the nuclear power plant is commonly used as formwork for concrete pouring. After construction, the steel plate also becomes a part of the load-bearing system of the dome. To prevent excessive deflection and out-of-plane instability during construction and operation, stiffeners need to be added to the surface of the inner steel plate. In this paper, we combine the parameterization scheme based on radial basis functions and topology optimization to conduct the optimization design for the stiffener layout on the inner steel plate of the containment dome. Various loading conditions and symmetry models are employed to optimize the stiffener layout. The secondary design of the dome with stiffeners is then modeled based on the optimal results. Finally, the finite element analysis of the secondary design is performed using ANSYS to evaluate structural performance. The results of the static analysis, eigenvalue buckling analysis, and ultimate bearing capacity demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed optimization method in the optimal design of the stiffener layout.