Heuristic Optimization Rules Applied for the Sustainable Design of Lightweight Engineering Structures Under Loads Subject to Random Changes

Katarzyna Tajs-Zielińska () and Bogdan Bochenek
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Katarzyna Tajs-Zielińska: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Bogdan Bochenek: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Cracow, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: In engineering design, optimization is crucial for achieving sustainable goals. This involves creating environmentally responsible structures. Optimizing the design is the first step in reducing the environmental impact of construction. Topology optimization (TO) is one way to do this. TO is the process of designing the material layout in the design domain according to selected criteria. The criteria can be explicitly defined to promote sustainability. As a result, a new structure topology is proposed to make the structure both lightweight and durable, with the aim of improving its functionality and reducing its environmental impact. In optimal engineering design, it is particularly important to take into account the structure’s special operating conditions, e.g., loads subject to random changes. Predicting topologies under such conditions is important since random load changes can significantly affect the resulting topologies. In this paper, an easy to implement numerical method for this kind of problem is proposed. The basic idea is to transform a random loads case into the deterministic problem of multiple loads. A heuristic method of Cellular Automata is proposed as a numerical optimization tool. The examples of topology optimization have been performed to illustrate the concept, confirming the efficiency, versatility, and ease of its implementation.

Keywords: sustainable design; optimal design; lightweight design; sustainability; topology optimization; compliance minimization; Cellular Automata; heuristic methods; random loads (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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