This award is for support of a cooperative project by Professor Ramana M. Pidaparti, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indiana, Dr. Hedi Hassis, Civil Engineering Department, Ecole Nationale d'Ingenieures de Tunis (ENIT), Tunisia, and Dr. Suleyman Kocak, Civil Engineering Department, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. They plan to study the fundamental issues in modeling, analysis and design of durable composite systems for use in infrastructure and various composite industries. They plan to develop analytical and computational algorithms and methods using a hierarchical micromechanical approach for developing design guides for more durable thick composite structures. In the first phase the scientists will develop an analytical model for a single ply composite with warping and coupling effects, and extend the formulation to multi-ply laminates. A micromechanical finite element model will be developed based on the analytical formulations. These models will be integrated and systematically validated using benchmark problems and available experimental data. The second phase will investigate the integration of the above models in a unified manner for failure analysis of complex 3D composite structures into an analysis and design research system.
Scope: In this project the collaborators plan to combine their expertise in a study to improve the modeling and analysis of composite structures and the establishment of design protocols for these structures. The scientists will collaborate in modeling, analytical formulations and computational simulations. The project is beneficial to the scientists involved from the United States, Tunisia and Turkey, and is expected to give US researchers and graduate students opportunities to work with scientists from foreign countries. The project meets INT criteria for support of cooperative projects that are mutually beneficial.
