A new hole insertion method for level set based topology optimization

Structural shape and topology optimization using level set functions is becoming increasingly popular. However, traditional methods do not naturally allow for new hole creation and solutions can be dependent on the initial design. Various methods have been proposed that allow for new hole insertion, however the link between hole insertion and boundary optimisation can be unclear. The novel method presented in this paper utilizes a secondary level set function that represents a pseudo third dimension in 2-d problems to facilitate new hole insertion. The update of the secondary function is directly connected to the update of the primary level set function. Thus, a meaningful link is created between boundary evolution and emergence of new holes. Classic examples from structural topology optimization are used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.