Julian Borges - Graduate Program in Civil Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul,‎ Av. Osvaldo Aranha, ۹۹, ۳º Andar, ۹۰۰۳۵-۱۹۰, Porto Alegre, RS. Brazil‎
Rodrigo Amaral - Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul,‎ Av. Sarmento Leite, ۴۲۵, Sala ۲۰۲, ۲º Andar, ۹۰۰۵۰-۱۷۰, Porto Alegre, RS. Brazil‎
Liércio Isoldi - Graduate Program in Computational Modeling, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG),‎ School of Engineering, km ۸ Itália Avenue, Rio Grande, ۹۶۲۰۱-۹۰۰, Brazil‎
Walter Jesus Casas - Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul,‎ Av. Sarmento Leite, ۴۲۵, Sala ۲۰۲, ۲º Andar, ۹۰۰۵۰-۱۷۰, Porto Alegre, RS. Brazil‎
Herbert Martins Gomes - Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul,‎ Av. Sarmento Leite, ۴۲۵, Sala ۲۰۲, ۲º Andar, ۹۰۰۵۰-۱۷۰, Porto Alegre, RS. Brazil‎

A new topology optimization methodology for reinforced concrete structures is proposed. The structures are optimized in two iterative loops, where different sensitivity criteria are used to determine the regions to be topologically optimized. For the first loop, the compliance criterion is used to determine the higher compliance elements and, consequently, remove the concrete from the computational domain. In the next loop, only failed concrete regions (Ottosen failure surface) are replaced by reinforcement, ensuring that complies with the von Mises criterion. In the end, the sizing of the reinforcements is obtained based on the principal forces in the steel regions. Results regarding the mechanical behavior, cost, volume, and mass of the optimized structures are presented in this study. A case study indicated that the proposed methodology can lead to volume, mass, and cost reductions of ۲۰%, ۲۱.۵%, and ۵۶%, respectively.

Topology Optimization, Reinforced concrete, BESO, Ottosen’s failure surface‎