Global and clustered approaches for stress constrained topology optimization and deactivation of design variables

We present a global (one constraint) version of the clustered approach previously developed for stress constraints, and also applied to fatigue constraints, in topology optimization. The global approach gives designs without large stress concentrations or geometric shapes that would cause stress singularities. For example, we solve the well known L-beam problem and obtain a radius at the internal corner. The main reason for using a global stress constraint in topology optimization is to reduce the computational cost that a high number of constraints impose. In this paper we compare the computational cost and the results obtained using a global stress constraint versus using a number of clustered stress constraints. We also present a method for deactivating those design variables that are not expected to change in the current iteration. The deactivation of design variables provides a considerable decrease of the computational cost and it is made in such a way that approximately the same final design is obtained as if all design variables are active.