A Multi-Scale Framework for Multi-Field Analyses of Smart Composites

: Smart composites comprising of electro-active components, are appealing for multifunctional systems with the ability to respond to various external stimuli, such as morphing structures. The differences in the responses of the constituents in the smart composites, together with various microstructural morphologies will have significant effects on the overall performance of multifunctional morphing systems. This project is aimed at understanding the effect of coupled thermal, electrical, and mechanical responses, including loading rate (time) effect, of the constituents (piezoelectric ceramics and polymers) on the overall multi-field responses of electro-active composites. For this purpose, a multi-scale framework that consists of constitutive models for the constituents incorporating field coupling and time-dependent effects; nonlinear micromechanical models for various composite reinforcements including functionally graded composites; and large scale multifunctional structural analyses is formulated. Limited experiments are conducted in order to study the effect of microstructural morphologies on the overall multi-field response of composites. The multi-scale model is able to predict the overall performance and perform active controls of smart structures under external stimuli.