Topological optimization of porous solids

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The prequel of this proposal focused on the analysis of the topological blueprint of 3D reticulated solids (e.g.,**trabecular bone). Topology (a study of place, Greek) as opposed to morphology (a study of shape), refers to the**way in which the components of a whole are related to each other, regardless of their size, shape and scale. For**example, the topologies of a river bed and of a branching blood vessel are similar; the topologies of a bicycle**wheel and of a steering wheel are different. Topological blueprint is fundamental for mechanical properties,**behavior and purpose of the structure. In the case of trabecular bone, it plays a critical role in optimizing bone**strength while at the same time minimizing its weight and reducing its cost of maintenance for the organism.**Among human-made engineered structures, topology is rarely taken into account, but the implications of**suboptimal topology can be partially compensated for by using expensive materials, larger amounts of material,**or more sophisticated assemblages of the elements within the structure. Following lessons learned from the**study of trabecular bone topology, this project uses biomimetic topology-based design for generation of**light-weight and strong structures that can be scaled to any size and manufactured for a variety of engineering**applications, from prosthetic medical devices to civil engineering. As we learned from trabecular bone, its**natural, function-driven topological optimization is slow and iterative. Here, we suggest to accelerate and**refine the process of topological optimization of architected artificial structures with the aid of artificial**intelligence (deep learning - neural network-based algorithm) where basic principles are borrowed from bone**biology. This is an example of reverse-engineering of a highly effective structure that has been refined by**millions of years of evolution.