Recent advances on nonlinear structure mechanics and failure analysis

The present special issue collects some selected extended papers of works presented during the first International Conference on Advanced Topics in Mechanics of Materials, Structures and Construction (AToMech1). Held at the College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, from March 12th to 14th, 2023, AToMech1 marked a significant milestone as a unique event in this region. It attracted academic scientists, researchers, and scholars from more than 30 diverse countries worldwide, who presented over 180 contributions covering various aspects of advanced materials, mechanics, and structural engineering.

One of the primary objectives of AToMech1 was to foster sustainable development and facilitate international networking among researchers, practitioners, and educators. The conference provided an invaluable platform to present and discuss the latest innovations, trends, challenges, and solutions in the fields of mechanics of materials, structures, and construction. This special issue, in particular, zooms in on "Recent Advances in Nonlinear Structural Mechanics and Failure Analysis." The volume brings together important, original, and peer-reviewed contributions, spanning various topics, including:

• advanced beam, plate and shell structural models, Refs. [1–5];

• damage and fracture mechanics, Refs. [5–6];

• metamaterials and acoustics, Refs. [6–9];

• large deformation analysis and soft materials, Refs. [10–11];

• advanced applications of the peridynamic theory, Refs. [12–13];

• multi-physics and coupled problems including design, Refs. [14–18];

• and advanced materials and structures, including CNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites, variable stiffness composites, kirigami folded structures, and 3D printed materials, [Refs. 19–22].

In the first paper, Scano and Carrera [1] propose using Jacobi polynomials as shape functions for vibration analysis of beam, plate, and shell structures through the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). This contribution provides a general framework for developing low to high order theories of structures in a versatile manner. In the subsequent work, Augello and Carrera [2] employ 2D CUF finite elements to analyze thin-walled reinforced structures. Notably, they introduce the novel capability of accounting for stringers’ deformability using the same advanced formulation without coupling dissimilar geometry elements. Carrera and Zozoluya [3] follow with a unified approach for analyzing multilayer shells of revolution, while Azzara et al. [4] develop advanced CUF-based finite elements for the analysis of rotating beams and shells. Finally, Marin et al. [5] propose a variational approach of the boundary value problem for elastic Cosserat bodies.

The procedure of the assessment of the amplitude factors in the asymptotic solution for the interface crack between two flexoelectric materials is proposed in Profant et al. [6]. Shen et al. [7], in turn, introduce a regularized, component-wise, high-order finite beam element for damage analysis of concrete structures, with a focus on the importance of characteristic length parameters in adopting refined structural models to analyze damage mechanisms.

Chen et al. [8] delve into the band gap characteristics of metamaterial plates, specifically exploring microstructures with antisymmetric dual helix as the basic local resonators cell, and they demonstrate significant tunability of the lower frequency of the band gap. On a different paper, Azzara et al. [9] evaluate the effects of seismic wave incidence angles on soil-structure interactions through advanced finite beam elements, comparing the dynamic responses calculated with the proposed approach critically with available analytical solutions.

The study of soft materials structures is addressed in Refs. [10] and [11]. Pagani et al. [10] present a unified three-dimensional finite element method for large strain analysis of compressible and nearly incompressible solids, with particular attention to locking phenomena and the use of high-order shape functions to mitigate this well-known numerical issue. Jianying et al. [11] investigate the mechanics of the large deformation of magneto-thermal sensitive hydrogel-based composite structures.

The peridynamic (PD) theory as an alternative method to classical local models is proposed in Refs. [12–13]. Madenci et al. [12] couple the PD theory with strain gradient elasticity (SGE) to explore the combined effect of PD and SGE length scale parameters on size effect, focusing on a previously studied carbon nanotube (CNT). Oterkus et al. [13], on the other hand, employ PD computational homogenization theory to investigate the influence of phase contrast and inclusion shape on the effective properties of viscoelastic composites.

The subsequent papers tackle coupled and multi-field problems. Lekomtsev et al. [14] present a mathematical formulation for the problem of natural and forced harmonic vibrations of electro-elastic thin-walled structures interacting with a flowing fluid. Fadodun et al. [15] propose a general constitutive theory for dielectric semilinear materials and specialize the theory for applications to problems of extension-inflation coupling and radial deformation of electro-sensitive tubes based on John’s semilinear material’s prototype energy function. Fadodun [16] gives a general magnetoelastic constitutive theory for a class of solids in which the total energy function depends on deformation gradient through the stretch tensor and specializes the theory for application to the problem of radial deformation of a conductive magnetoactive tube. Demirbaş and Erdogan [17] explore new hybrid composites produced by compression molding and investigate the effects of UV radiations in different cycles. Jang and Yun [18], propose the optimal experimental design (OED) framework combined with deep neural network (DNN) surrogate model to find the optimal design over large and complex design space.

Lastly, the closing papers focus on advanced materials and structures. Caliskan et al. [19] delve into the modeling of randomly distributed CNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites using molecular and micromechanics methods. Yang et al. [20] study the vibration power flow transmission behavior of laminated composite plates with a cutout and a variable angle tow (VAT) design. Birari and Rao [21] discuss a parametric study of square dome-shaped kirigami folded structure for blast mitigation. Caliskan et al. [22] investigate the tensile behavior of Sandwich Functionally Graded Material (SFGM) fabricated using Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology experimentally and numerically.

The international significance of this special issue is bolstered by the diverse affiliations of the guest editors, hailing from four different countries and two continents. The realization of this publication would not have been possible without the valuable synergies offered by the Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures (MAMS) Journal and the AToMech1 Organizing Committee. We extend special thanks to Taylor & Francis, MAMS Editor-in-Chief Professor Erasmo Carrera, and the entire Editorial board for their unwavering support. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University for kindly hosting AToMech1, the Honorary Chair President Issa H. Alansari, the Conference Chair Dr. Faisal Yousif Al Anezi, and Conference Co-Chair Professor Erasmo Carrera, as well as the Technical Program Chairs and the Technical Program Committee. Last but not least, we express our appreciation to all the authors and anonymous referees whose diligence ensures the highest quality of the papers presented in this special issue.

Alfonso Pagani
Guest editor, MUL2 Lab, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
[email protected]
Mario Rui Arruda
Guest editor, CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering Architecture and Georesources, Instituto Superior Técnico – Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

Chao Zhang
Guest editor, School of Civil Aviation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’An, China

Gunjin Yun
Guest editor, Aerospace Structures and Materials Laboratory, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).