A systematic approach to shape sensitivity analysis (Q2368004)

The paper deals with the method of domain parametrization for shape sensitivity analysis. It is shown that equivalent results are obtained from the material derivative method. In fact, the material derivative method may be viewed as a special case of the domain parametrization method which occurs when the reference configuration coincides with the body configuration. The method is illustrated by the Laplace problem in which explicit shape sensitivities are derived by the adjoint method and direct differentiation methods. Both finite element and boundary element applications are discussed. In the finite element approach, it is shown that the sensitivity integrals may be transformed to the boundary for the adjoint method, however, this does not seem possible for the direct differentiation method. Finally, in the boundary element approach, the sensitivities do not require the differentiation of the fundamental solutions. The paper has a cognitive character but it is not far from technical applications.