A two-material topology optimization method for structures under steady thermo-mechanical loading

This article explores a topology optimization method for the design of two-material structures that must operate under mechanical and thermal loads, including heat fluxes at the boundaries. A three-phase design domain is filled by two isotropic materials and a void phase. There are two novel aspects of this work: (1) the consideration of multiple materials when only the amount of void is constrained, and (2) the incorporation of heat flux boundary conditions, as opposed to uniform heating of the structure, in the multi-physics analysis. This topology optimization approach is expected to be useful in the development of passive thermal control interfaces for spacecraft thermal control.