Designing complex architectured materials with generative adversarial networks

Yunwei Mao, Qi He, Xuanhe Zhao

Architectured materials on length scales from nanometers to meters are desirable for diverse applications. Recent advances in additive manufacturing have made mass production of complex architectured materials technologically and economically feasible. Existing architecture design approaches such as bioinspiration, Edisonian, and optimization, however, generally rely on experienced designers’ prior knowledge, limiting broad applications of architectured materials. Particularly challenging is designing architectured materials with extreme properties, such as the Hashin-Shtrikman upper bounds on isotropic elasticity in an experience-free manner without prior knowledge. Here, we present an experience-free and systematic approach for the design of complex architectured materials with generative adversarial networks. The networks are trained using simulation data from millions of randomly generated architectures categorized based on different crystallographic symmetries. We demonstrate modeling and experimental results of more than 400 two-dimensional architectures that approach the Hashin-Shtrikman upper bounds on isotropic elastic stiffness with porosities from 0.05 to 0.75.

Science Advances 24 Apr 2020:
Vol. 6, no. 17, eaaz4169
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz4169

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/17/eaaz4169

Dear colleagues,

We would like to invite you to take part in the minisymposium “Mechanics of Architectured Materials” in XLVI International Conference “Advanced Problems in Mechanics”. The conference will take place in Saint- Petersburg, Russia, 24-29th of June 2019.

The minisymposium is devoted to architectured materials with unique mechanical properties. This general topic includes (but is not limited to) soft materials, metamaterials, composites, bio-inspired and biomaterials, cellular materials, and tensegrity structures.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the conference, which coincides with the beautiful “White Nights” season. This is the best time to visit Saint-Petersburg and enjoy the incredible city architecture, its outstanding museums, and unique culture.

Please note that a deadline for registration and abstract submission is March 15, 2019. Please find more information herehttp://apm-conf.spb.ru/

Best regards,

Dr. Igor Berinskii, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Dr. Stepan Rudykh, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

We have new openings for two PhD students –fully funded - in the Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Bioinspiration at McGill University, starting Fall 2018 (Application deadline: 01/15/2018)

Our research group is currently exploring new material architectures that expand the properties and functionalities of traditional engineering materials. We are particularly interested in fully dense architectured materials made of hard and stiff building blocks joined by weaker and more deformable interfaces. These interfaces can deflect and guide cracks into toughening configurations, or channel large nonlinear deformations. These general principles lead to building blocks which can slide, rotate, separate or interlock collectively, providing a wealth of tunable mechanisms, precise structural properties and functionalities.

PhD position 1: Development of new architectures with glass and polymers for transparent armor.

PhD position 2: Development of bioinspired morphing structures based on stiff structural elements.

These projects involve micromechanics, fracture mechanics, finite elements, design optimization, in-situ mechanical testing and impact/ballistic testing. Fabrication involves 3D printing, three-dimensional laser engraving and other innovative fabrication methods.

Required: Master degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Civil Engineering or equivalent.

Preferred background: Mechanics of materials, fracture mechanics, experimental mechanics, finite elements.

Apply: http://www.mcgill.ca/mecheng/grad/admission/doc

Contact: francois.barthelat@mcgill.ca

Website: http://barthelat-lab.mcgill.ca

We have openings for new PhD students in the Biomimetic Materials Laboratory at McGill University, starting January 2015.

The successful candidates will explore bio-inspired microarchitectures to increase and amplify the mechanical performance of engineering materials (glasses, ceramics, polymers). The project involves micromechanics, fracture mechanics, finite elements, design optimization and small-scale and in-situ mechanical testing. Fabrication involves rapid prototyping, three-dimensional laser engraving and other innovative fabrication methods. Materials and systems of interest include nacre-like ceramic / polymeric composites, multilayered conch-shell like composites, fish-scale inspired flexible protective systems and bio-inspired synthetic bone graft materials. Collaborations with biologists, chemists and medical doctors.

Required background: Mechanics of materials, fracture mechanics, experimental mechanics and finite elements.

Preferred but not required: background in composites materials

Apply: http://www.mcgill.ca/mecheng/grad

Contact: francois.barthelat@mcgill.ca

Website: http://barthelat-lab.mcgill.ca