Connectivity constraints ensuring continuous electrodes in topology optimization of EAP

Abstract

Electroactive polymers (EAP) deforms when subject to an electric field, which is generated by two or more electrodes. To ensure proper function of the EAP, these electrodes are connected to a source and they are therefore required to be continuous such that no isolated islands exist. Increasing an EAPs performance using topology optimization while ensuring electrode connectivity is the goal of this work. A topology optimization formulation is introduced where electrode connectivity is ensured using the Virtual Temperature Method. Numerical experiments demonstrates that this is an efficient method to guarantee connectivity.