Simultaneous topology optimization of structure and piezoelectric actuators distribution

•Simultaneous process for topology optimization and piezoelectric actuators placement.•Piezoelectric actuators placement in structures by minimizing point displacement.•Topology optimization with elastic isotropic material and piezoelectric material.

This work considers the classical minimum compliance topology optimization in linear elasticity. The objective is minimizing a cost functional comprises the work of structural mechanical and electrical forces, such that the optimal localization of piezoelectric actuators is obtained. The optimization procedure is performed under suitable constraints of equilibrium, volume restriction and a set of project variables. We highlight the variational problem addressed may be summarized as the search for the optimal density distributions of two different materials, one is considered linear elastic and the other linear piezoelectric. The topology optimization in this work uses Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization approach (SIMP), based on the concept of optimizing the material distribution. A finite element modeling is applied to simulate the topology of the structure. Results of numerical simulations for some cases of loading beams are presented and discussed.