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Unlocking Large-Scale Structural Synthesis: High-Performance GPU Topology Optimization For Architectural And Civil Engineering Applications
Topology optimization has long been constrained by the computational cost of working at meaningful scale. For architectural and civil engineering applications — where domains span tens of meters and element counts run into the millions — that constraint has made high-fidelity structural synthesis largely impractical on standard hardware.
In this episode recorded at CDFAM Barcelona 2026, Raul C. Llamas-Sandin presents a GPU-accelerated solver that addresses this directly, reducing solve times for large-scale problems to minutes on a workstation. He covers the key technical features that make it relevant for the built environment: asymmetric tension-compression stress constraints, thermoelastic analysis, and geometric constraint enforcement for fixed architectural elements and fenestration.
Applications demonstrated include bridge design and high-rise structural cores at spans up to 80 meters, as well as free-form architectural geometries exported as watertight STL files ready for digital fabrication. The solver’s modular configuration approach decouples problem definition from the numerical backend, making it adaptable across project types without reengineering the workflow.
Raul is a Future Projects Engineer at Airbus Operations SL and Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid, with over two decades of experience in advanced aircraft design. He holds an MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University and 14 patents spanning aerodynamic devices and plasma actuation.
Recorded at CDFAM Barcelona 2026 — https://cdfam.com/barcelona-2026/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.designforam.com
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By Duann ScottTopology optimization has long been constrained by the computational cost of working at meaningful scale. For architectural and civil engineering applications — where domains span tens of meters and element counts run into the millions — that constraint has made high-fidelity structural synthesis largely impractical on standard hardware.
In this episode recorded at CDFAM Barcelona 2026, Raul C. Llamas-Sandin presents a GPU-accelerated solver that addresses this directly, reducing solve times for large-scale problems to minutes on a workstation. He covers the key technical features that make it relevant for the built environment: asymmetric tension-compression stress constraints, thermoelastic analysis, and geometric constraint enforcement for fixed architectural elements and fenestration.
Applications demonstrated include bridge design and high-rise structural cores at spans up to 80 meters, as well as free-form architectural geometries exported as watertight STL files ready for digital fabrication. The solver’s modular configuration approach decouples problem definition from the numerical backend, making it adaptable across project types without reengineering the workflow.
Raul is a Future Projects Engineer at Airbus Operations SL and Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid, with over two decades of experience in advanced aircraft design. He holds an MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University and 14 patents spanning aerodynamic devices and plasma actuation.
Recorded at CDFAM Barcelona 2026 — https://cdfam.com/barcelona-2026/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.designforam.com