Abstract
In most structural optimization, the stress level based on the linear structural analysis is used as objective function or constraints. In this paper new structural optimization concept is proposed, that maximize lifetime period of structure based on the crack propagation analysis using X-FEM. In the optimization, period until structure became unstable is used as objective function to maximize, and volume of material is constrained. The shape of the structure is changed using basis vector method. In the example, it is shown that the optimized shape based on the von-Mises stress level and the optimized shapes based on the crack propagation analysis are quite different
