Actually I thought a lot about whether I should post this or not. When I found this thesis (link), I was very excited. I know that magnesium backrest frames are used in some high-end cars, and further lightening can be obtained with topology optimization. When I read the thesis… well I do not want to write bad things about someones hard work. As the writer of the thesis states, interpretation of topology-optimization results can be hard. So without further comment, and with all my respect, I will post one section from the results:
“The maximum displacement in the seat is 21.44 mm which is well below the ECE R17 limit. Results from the linear analysis indicate that the optimized seat deflects more when compared to the reference seat which had a maximum displacement of 17.8 mm. From Figure 5-31, it is found that stress levels have been increased compared to the reference seat but yielding takes place only in localized corners as before.”
Final state of the backrest