Structural analysis and optimization for ITER upper ELM coil

•The updated structure of ITER upper ELM coil is introduced and thermal, static and fatigue analyses are performed to obtain its temperature distribution and verify its structural integrity.•Structural optimization for upper ELM coil proves that adding fillet, increasing the thickness of the connecting plate of the bracket and lowering the connecting plate for the bracket are needed in order to increase the strength of bracket.•To enhance the fatigue performance of jacket, the reinforcement and spine is proposed.•After the above efforts, the stress of the IMIC can meet the static and fatigue criteria and this means the basic structure is valid.