J. Russ, V. Slesarenko, S. Rudykh, and H. Waisman, Rupture of 3D-printed hyperelastic composites: experiments and phase field fracture modeling. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 140, 103941 (2020) [PDF]

Abstract:

In this work, we study the failure behavior of 3D-printed polymer composites undergoing large deformations. Experimental results are compared to numerical simulations using the phase field fracture method with an energetic threshold and an efficient plane-stress formulation. The developed framework is applied to a composite system consisting of three stiff circular inclusions embedded into a soft matrix. In particular, we examine how geometrical parameters, such as the distances between inclusions and the length of initial notches, affect the failure pattern in the soft composites. We observe complex failure sequences including crack arrest and secondary crack initiation in the bulk material. Remarkably, our numerical simulations capture these essential features of the composite failure behavior and the numerical results are in good agreement with the experiments. We find that the performance of composites – their strength and toughness – can be tuned through selection of the inclusion position. We report, however, that the optimal inclusion spacing is not unique and depends also on the initial notch length. These findings offer useful insight for design of soft composite materials with enhanced performance.

J. Li, V. Slesarenko, S. Rudykh Auxetic multiphase soft composite material design through instabilities with application for acoustic metamaterials. Soft Matter 14: 6171-6180 (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRlJhnIylNk

A. Goshkoderia and S. Rudykh, Composites Part B, 128:19-29 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2017.06.014

ABSTRACT: We investigate the macroscopic magnetomechanical instabilities in magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) composites undergoing finite strains in the presence of a magnetic field. In particular, we identify the unstable domains for MRE composites with periodically distributed circular and elliptical inclusions embedded in a soft matrix. We use the isotropic Langevin model for magnetic behavior, to account for the initial (linear) susceptibility and saturation magnetization of the magnetoactive inclusions. We analyze the influence of the applied magnetic field and finite strains, as well as particle shape and material properties, on the stability of the MRE composites. We find that the stable and unstable domains can be significantly tuned by the applied magnetic field, depending on deformation, microstructure and magnetic properties of the inclusions such as initial susceptibility and saturation magnetization.