  In the present work, a new computational framework for structural topology
optimization based on the concept of moving deformable components is proposed.
Compared with the traditional pixel or node point-based solution framework, the
proposed solution paradigm can incorporate more geometry and mechanical
information into topology optimization directly and therefore render the
solution process more flexible. It also has the great potential to reduce the
computational burden associated with topology optimization substantially. Some
representative examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the
proposed approach.
