In structural designs considering thermal loading, to control thermal stress and minimize decreases in material strength at high temperatures, it is important to maximize the thermal diffusivity of structures, in addition to the usual maximization of stiffness that optimal designs achieve. This paper presents a new level set-based topology optimization method for thermal problems with generic heat transfer boundaries in a fixed design domain that includes design-dependent effects, using level set boundary expressions and the Finite Element Method. First, a topology optimization method using a level set model incorporating fictitious interface energy is briefly discussed. Next, an optimization problem is formulated using the concept of total potential energy to address the design of mechanical structures that aim to minimize the mean temperature of the structure under thermal loading. An optimization algorithm that uses the Finite Element Method when solving the equilibrium equation and updating the level set function is then constructed. Finally, several numerical examples are provided to confirm the utility of the proposed optimization method.
