Topology optimization for quasistatic elastoplasticity

Topology optimization is concerned with the identification of optimal shapes deformable bodies respect to given target functionals. The focus this paper on a topology problem for time-evolving elastoplastic medium under kinematic hardening. We adopt phase-field approach and argue by subsequent approximations, first discretizing time then regularizing flow rule. Existence proved both at time-discrete time-continuous level, independently regularization. First order optimality conditions are firstly obtained in regularized setting pass nonregularized limit. approximation shown its sharp-interface limit via an evolutive variational convergence argument.