TY - GEN A1 - Noack, Martin A1 - Kühhorn, Arnold A1 - Kober, Markus A1 - Firl, Matthias T1 - A new stress-based topology optimization approach for finding flexible structures T2 - Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization N2 - This paper presents a new FE-based stress-related topology optimization approach for finding bending governed flexible designs. Thereby, the knowledge about an output displacement or force as well as the detailed mounting position is not necessary for the application. The newly developed objective function makes use of the varying stress distribution in the cross section of flexible structures. Hence, each element of the design space must be evaluated with respect to its stress state. Therefore, the method prefers elements experiencing a bending or shear load over elements which are mainly subjected to membrane stresses. In order to determine the stress state of the elements, we use the principal stresses at the Gauss points. For demonstrating the feasibility of the new topology optimization approach, three academic examples are presented and discussed. As a result, the developed sensitivity-based algorithm is able to find usable flexible design concepts with a nearly discrete 0 − 1 density distribution for these examples. KW - Topology optimization KW - Flexible structure KW - Stress-based KW - SIMP KW - Conceptual design Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-021-02960-w SN - 1615-147X SN - 1615-1488 VL - 64 IS - 4 SP - 1997 EP - 2007 ER -