Enhanced hybrid cellular automata method for crashworthiness topology optimization of thin-walled structures

The optimization of structures is of great importance for automotive crashworthiness because lightweight design leads to energy savings and reduction of emissions together with assured safety levels. Hybrid Cellular Automata (HCA) is an attractive candidate solution due to their gradient-free design update, fast development of the structure, and ability to handle a large number of design variables without significant increase in numerical effort. This thesis proposes an improved HCA for crash optimization regarding each thin wall as a single cell in contrast to most of the existing approaches where each finite element is considered as cell. Besides algorithmic developments improving convergence and efficiency, adaptations are realized to analyze the influence of more realistic material models (plasticity and failure) and first steps towards crash topology optimization for additive manufacturing structures are shown.