Lightweight architected materials require systematic design strategies to maximize stiffness-to-weight efficiency under realistic finite-domain loading conditions. However, optimization of hybrid triply periodic surface architectures remains challenging due to implicit geometric representations, high-dimensional parameter spaces, and the computational cost of mechanical evaluation. This study presents a mechanics-guided optimization framework for hybrid triply periodic surface architectures. An 18-dimensional coefficient representation based on linearly independent periodic basis functions enables continuous hybridization across canonical surface families within a unified design space. Candidate geometries are evaluated as finite 2×2×2 multi-cell specimens using voxel-based finite element analysis under uniaxial compression. Exploration of the high-dimensional space is performed using a Gaussian process surrogate with expected improvement, combined with connectivity screening to ensure structural feasibility. The surrogate-assisted Bayesian optimization achieves an effective modulus of MPa, outperforming random search (10 seeds, equal budget) by 31.0%. The optimized hybrid design also exhibits approximately 112–114% higher effective stiffness than representative gyroid and Schwarz P structures evaluated under identical conditions. Gibson–Ashby scaling gives an exponent of , compared with –3.4 for canonical TPMS surfaces, supporting a transition toward stretching-dominated load transfer. The improvement is associated with material reorganization into vertically continuous load paths that enhance axial force transmission and reduce bending-driven compliance. The proposed framework provides a computationally efficient and mechanically interpretable approach for high-dimensional design of periodic surface architectures under finite-domain constraints.

Mechanics-guided optimization of hybrid periodic architectures

Liu, Luca;Vergani, Laura Maria;Buccino, Federica
2026-01-01

Abstract

Lightweight architected materials require systematic design strategies to maximize stiffness-to-weight efficiency under realistic finite-domain loading conditions. However, optimization of hybrid triply periodic surface architectures remains challenging due to implicit geometric representations, high-dimensional parameter spaces, and the computational cost of mechanical evaluation. This study presents a mechanics-guided optimization framework for hybrid triply periodic surface architectures. An 18-dimensional coefficient representation based on linearly independent periodic basis functions enables continuous hybridization across canonical surface families within a unified design space. Candidate geometries are evaluated as finite 2×2×2 multi-cell specimens using voxel-based finite element analysis under uniaxial compression. Exploration of the high-dimensional space is performed using a Gaussian process surrogate with expected improvement, combined with connectivity screening to ensure structural feasibility. The surrogate-assisted Bayesian optimization achieves an effective modulus of MPa, outperforming random search (10 seeds, equal budget) by 31.0%. The optimized hybrid design also exhibits approximately 112–114% higher effective stiffness than representative gyroid and Schwarz P structures evaluated under identical conditions. Gibson–Ashby scaling gives an exponent of , compared with –3.4 for canonical TPMS surfaces, supporting a transition toward stretching-dominated load transfer. The improvement is associated with material reorganization into vertically continuous load paths that enhance axial force transmission and reduce bending-driven compliance. The proposed framework provides a computationally efficient and mechanically interpretable approach for high-dimensional design of periodic surface architectures under finite-domain constraints.
2026
Triply periodic minimal surfaces, Surrogate-assisted optimization, Architected materials, Stiffness-to-weight ratio, Bayesian optimization
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1316647
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