Study on adaptive shape optimization

A new method of adaptive shape optimization (ASOP) based on three-dimensional structure boundary strength is introduced and an engine bearing cap with this method is optimized. By using the normal substance property of thermal expansion and cooling shrinkage, the thermal load which is proportional to the difference between the nodes' stress and their respective objective stress was applied to the corresponding variable nodes on the boundary. The thermal load made the nodes whose stress are greater than their objective stress expand along the boundary's normal direction and the nodes whose stress are less than objective stress shrink in the opposite direction. This process would repeat it until the stress on the boundary nodes was converge to the objective stress. The results have been obtained when optimizing an engine bearing cap. The mass of the bearing cap is reduced to 55 percent of the total. ASOP is an efficient, practical and reliable method which is suitable for to optimize the shape of the continuous structures .