Aimed　at　the　topology　optimization　of　continuum　structures　considering　the　fail-safe　principle,　for　the　purpose　of　overcoming　the　shortcomings　of　the　topologies　obtained　by　the　traditional　topology　optimization　being　too　sensitive　to　local　damages　for　the　lack　of　reasonable　redundancy　components,　the　fail-safe　design　is　achieved.　At　first,　four　concepts　are　clarified:　the　structural　local　failure　mode,　the　structural　local　failure　region,　structural　failure　case,　and　the　pre-estimation　distribution　of　structural　failure　cases.　Secondly,　based　on　the　ICM　(independent　continuous　mapping)　method,　a　minimizing　structural　volume　model　with　structural　performance　constraints　is　established　for　the　fail-safe　topology　optimization　problems　of　continuum　structures.　While　establishing　the　objective　function,　minimizing　the　maximum　of　structural　volumes　of　all　structural　failure　cases　is　converted　into　minimizing　the　structural　volume　of　the　ground　structure　without　failure　regions.　Therefore,　the　difficulty　of　dealing　with　multi-objective　optimization　is　avoided.　While　establishing　the　approximation　functions　of　constraints,　mechanical　property　constraints　of　all　of　the　structural　failure　cases　are　taken　into　account.　The　problems　with　a　single　load　case　or　multi-load　cases　can　be　solved　by　the　presented　model.　At　last,　optimization　problems　with　displacement　constraints　are　taken　as　examples.　The　optimization　model　is　established　and　the　solution　method　is　also　presented.　Some　examples　with　displacement　constraints　under　a　single　load　case　or　multi-load　case　are　presented　to　verify　the　validity　of　this　method.　The　results　show　that　the　optimal　topologies　obtained　by　this　method　are　more　complex　and　has　a　greater　volume　than　that　obtained　by　the　topology　optimization　without　fail-safe.　Namely,　optimal　topologies　have　more　redundancy,　which　is　the　result　of　considering　the　fail-safe　principle.　The　proposed　research　is　an　important　progress　for　the　design　of　vehicles　serving　for　aviation,　aerospace,　water　or　land　fields　and　other　engineering　structures　undergoing　accident　damages,　war　wounds　or　terrorist　attacks.　©　2018,　Editorial　Office　of　Chinese　Journal　of　Theoretical　and　Applied　Mechanics.　All　right　reserved.