Computational modelling of impact in architected materials
A finite element framework for contact and fracture in beam lattices
W.J. Chen (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
Bianca Giovanardi, PhD – Mentor (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
D.M.J. Peeters – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
S.R. Turteltaub – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
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Abstract
Truss metamaterials have exceptional specific energy absorption performance, making them prime candidates for advanced impact protection in high-performance sectors such as aerospace. The ability to numerically model impact problems involving truss metamaterials can prove to be highly beneficial in terms of cost and time savings during the design process.
Modelling truss-metamaterial impact problems generally requires accounting for strut dynamics, possible fragmentation and subsequent self-contact events between beam struts and fragments. However, coupling beam-fracture and beam-contact models is challenging because beam elements sharing an interface may experience non-physical contact, and propagating the contact dynamics to all beam elements is more complicated in a model with fracture than one without.
This thesis aims to develop high-fidelity dynamic impact simulations of beam lattices capturing both strut self-contact and fracture behaviour. To this end, a unified beam-contact-fracture computational framework was developed, tested in numerical experiments, and demonstrated on a large-scale truss-metamaterial impact problem. The simulation results are presented and discussed. The thesis closes out by pointing out areas for future improvements in robustness, validity and accuracy.
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