Static And Dynamic Strength Of Micro-lattice Materials

Micro-lattice materials (MLMs) are a new generation of engineered materials, obtained via so-called 3D printing, which carry great promise in applications of protective structures (such as body armour for humans or cladding for vehicles). The fact that their micro-structure can be controlled makes them ideal for testing hypotheses of material strength under a range of loading rates (from quasi-static to impact) and of structural strength for a range of specimen sizes.
In this project, the strength of metallic MLMs will be predicted at both micro and macro-levels under static and dynamic loading conditions. Therefore, the study will be a combination of large-scale numerical simulations of the specimens with explicitly modelled micro-structure, and more sophisticated modelling approaches based on up-scaling and homogenisation. Both up-scaling and homogenisation will lead to effective properties for macro-level modelling. By using these macro and micro-scale models, a link will be sought with generalised plasticity theories to predict structural scaling effects and material rate effects.