Topology optimization approaches A comparative review

Topology optimization has undergone a tremendous development since its introduction in the seminal paper by Bendsoe and Kikuchi in 1988. By now, the concept is developing in many different directions, including density, level set, topological derivative, phase field, evolutionary and several others. The paper gives an overview, comparison and critical review of the different approaches, their strengths, weaknesses, similarities and dissimilarities and suggests guidelines for future research.