Harnessing Structural Optimization Techniques for Developing Efficient Light-Weight Vehicles

The advent of various structural optimization methods has made the process of deriving efficient lightweight designs for complex structures under multiple load conditions far more attainable than ever before. Three of these methods, namely sizing, topology and topometry optimization have been used extensively in the structural optimization of body-in-white structures. While all these techniques have their unique advantages, they provide different solutions to the posed problem. In this paper, we examine how best these optimization techniques can be used to derive a more efficient design within a linear domain, through a case study. Depending on the starting point of the design, all three techniques can play a vital role in making design decisions.