IRES Track I: Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing of Active and Sustainable Composite Structures

The aim of this proposal is to develop an International Research Experience for Students (IRES), organized by researchers under the auspices of the Center of Innovation in Mechanics for Design and Manufacturing (CiMDM) at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and Bristol Composites Institute (BCI), UK. The project sends 6 U.S. undergraduate and/or graduate students from diverse backgrounds per year to gain cutting edge experience in the design, manufacture, and testing of advanced composite materials (which are produced by combining two or more materials to obtain third material with desirable functionalities) at BCI.

Expertise in the development of advanced sustainable composites is critical to building and maintaining US competitiveness in this area which is critical to the US defense industry in particular. These structures are poised to offer an attractive, energy and material efficient, and sustainable way for manufacturing products ranging from small-scale components (such as prosthetics and wearable sensors) to large-scale structures (such as advanced air craft, civil infrastructure, wind turbines, and so on).

This IRES program offers a chance for the US to leverage its excellent relationship with the UK and train a diverse group of students (and future workforce) in an emerging area in a high-value industry with significant growth.

This TRACK 1 IRES site focuses on Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing of Active and Sustainable Composite Structures at the Bristol Composites Institute (BCI), University of Bristol, UK. The IRES students will participate in different research projects built around this theme based on challenges posed by our industrial partners and research questions considered by our collaborators at BCI.

The proposal builds on our collaboration with BCI and under the auspices of the Center of Innovation in Mechanics for Design and Manufacturing (CiMDM), Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Europe and the US have embarked on major Research and Development initiatives in this area focused on the emerging area of digital engineering of composites to address the difficulties of managing complex and evolving technologies over their lifecycles.

The IRES team at TEES have been investigating novel digital modeling techniques (based on nonlocal mechanics) for the multiscale modeling of the durability and fracture of a broad range of engineered mesostructures. The BCI has focused on digital engineering (integrated simulation-based design and manufacturing) of composites and are considered world leaders in this field.

Based on this complementary approach and past collaborations, the PIs have crafted the student projects focused on smart digital manufacturing of composites to optimize processes and cost. The projects are: (1) design of smart composite materials and structures for the development of composite systems with novel functionality; (2) bio-based natural fiber composites and circular life cycle design for the development of recyclable composites; (3) health monitoring and composite strength and durability studies focused on increasing the durability and resilience of composites; and (4) smart digital manufacturing of composites to optimize processes and cost.

Specific research challenges in each of these four areas will be posed in consultation with our industry partners NCC (design and prototype development), Vestas (Wind turbines), Airbus(Aircraft), and Rolls Royce (composites for fan blades).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.