MS11 - Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials: Models, Measurements, and Mysteries

Keywords: computational modeling; multi-scale modeling; discretization techniques; material and structural stability analysis; multi-field coupling; experimental methods

Organizers:
Markus Mehnert (1) – markus.mehnert@fau.de
Elten Polukhov (2) – polukhov@mechbau.uni-stuttgart.de

Affiliations:
(1) Institute of Applied Mechanics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
(2) Institute of Applied Mechanics, University of Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract:
Multifunctional materials, with their favorable coupling and tailor-made properties, have attracted attention across diverse fields, including engineering, computer technology, robotics, biomimetics, biomedicine, and agriculture. Notable examples include both mechanically soft polymers and gels as well as stiff ceramics and alloys characterized by not least thermo-,chemo-, electro-, magneto-, and photo-mechanical coupling. Their characteristic coupling response, manifested as stimuli-induced behavioral change, is rooted in their microstructure. These materials, in addition to their naturally occuring heterogenous microstructures, can also have further heterogeneity when manufactured in the form of composites. Careful design of the microstructure, guided by mathematical and computational models, as well as experimental investigations, enables the development of architectured materials that seamlessly integrate material and structure at sub-length scales, resulting in superior macroscopic behavior that surpasses the capabilities of individual phases. Recent advancements in design, modeling and experiments of these materials pave the way for the multifunctional applications of the next generation.  

The goal of the minisymposium is to cover a wide spectrum of recent developments related to the mechanics of multifunctional materials and thereby to enhance the understanding of the underlying phenomena and processes. Hence, the topic of interest contains, but is not limited to:

  • Mechanics of soft active-materials such as electro-, magneto-, and photo-active polymers, polymeric gels, and liquid crystals, . . .
  • Mechanics of coupling response in ceramics and alloys, e.g., thermomechanics, piezo- and ferro-electricity, ferromagnetism, flexoelectric or magnetostrictive effects, shape memory alloys, . . .
  • Simulations featuring novel multifunctional constitutive models
  • Phase- and pattern-transformations, material and structural instabilities, and failures
  • First- and second-order multiscale simulations of the coupling response at micro- and macro-scales
  • Size-dependent material response and interface effects arising from the microstructure
  • Modeling of dissipative phenomena and processes in active materials
  • Multiphysics of architectured materials with non-standard responses
  • Experiments and fabrication of coupled materials providing insights into underlying mechanisms