Conceptual design by means of topology optimization

Over recent years, Topology Optimization is used in order to achieve structures oriented via Architectural Conceptual Design. The basic idea behind Topology Optimization is finding the shape of the final structure which optimizes its structural behaviour by distributing material inside the optimized structure, guided by the search for optimal conditions. The presented formulation expands this theory in the field of conceptual design, by the substitution of the material distribution with predefined structural shapes. The form of this structural shapes is independent from the problem formulation, thus a variety of different structures can derive and satisfy the needs of the conceptual design.