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Architected Lattice and Composite Materials: Multiscale Design, Manufacturing, and Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026 | Viewed by 746

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Interests: solid and structural mechanics; lattice materials; multifunctional metamaterials; fluid–structure interaction; multiscale mechanics; structural optimization in multi-physics applications
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hybrid materials, including architected lattice materials and composites, have emerged as promising solutions for next-generation lightweight and high-performance engineering systems. Their unique mechanical, thermal, and multifunctional properties originate from precisely designed architectures across multiple length scales, from material microstructure, unit-cell topology, and mesoscale arrangement to structural-scale integration.

Recent advances in additive manufacturing, topology and multiscale optimization, computational design, and data-driven modeling enabled unprecedented control over geometry, composition, and multifunctionality. These developments have opened new frontiers in aerospace structures, mechanical metamaterials, energy absorption systems, biomedical implants, thermal management systems, and beyond.

This Special Issue of Materials, entitled “Architected Lattice and Composite Materials: Multiscale Design, Manufacturing, and Applications,” seeks to collect recent academic achievements in the design, modeling, manufacturing, and characterization of architected lattice materials and advanced composites. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Multiscale mechanical and multifunctional properties of architected lattices;
  • Additive and hybrid manufacturing of lattices and composites;
  • Composite–lattice integration, hierarchically structured materials;
  • Topology, shape, multiscale, and multi-objective optimization;
  • Multiphysics modeling, simulation, and reduced-order modeling;
  • Experimental characterization and validation;
  • Lattice-based structural and biomedical applications;
  • Thermal, acoustic, energy absorption, crashworthiness, and vibration control systems;
  • Data-driven and AI-assisted design of architected materials;
  • Lattice composites and metamaterials for transportation (aerospace, automotive, and marine), defense, and biomedical applications.

Research papers, review articles, and short communications are welcome. Please indicate in your cover letter that your submission is intended for this Special Issue.

We hope you will consider contributing your latest research in this exciting and rapidly developing field.

Dr. Mostafa S. A. ElSayed
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • architected lattice materials
  • composite materials
  • additive manufacturing
  • topology optimization
  • multiscale optimization
  • multi-objective optimization
  • mechanical metamaterials
  • data-driven design
  • multiscale modelling
  • experimental characterization

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1809 KB  
Article
Multistage Static and Dynamic Optimization Framework for Composite Laminates in Lightweight Urban Rail Vehicle Car Bodies
by Alessio Cascino, Francesco Distaso, Enrico Meli and Andrea Rindi
Materials 2026, 19(3), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19030531 - 29 Jan 2026
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 473
Abstract
This paper presents a robust multistage optimization framework for the integration of composite laminates into the car body shell of a low-floor light rail vehicle (LRV). While structural design in low-floor vehicles is typically complex, this methodology successfully balances both static and dynamic [...] Read more.
This paper presents a robust multistage optimization framework for the integration of composite laminates into the car body shell of a low-floor light rail vehicle (LRV). While structural design in low-floor vehicles is typically complex, this methodology successfully balances both static and dynamic requirements through a sequential optimization process. Developed in strict accordance with reference European standards, the methodology addresses the structural challenges inherent in low-floor architectures, where complex load paths and redistributed equipment masses require targeted reinforcement. The proposed approach sequentially addresses dynamic and static requirements through a structural optimization process. Two distinct 10-ply laminate configurations, one symmetric and one asymmetric, were investigated. The results demonstrate that the multistage optimization successfully converged to a highly mass-efficient solution, achieving a 66% reduction in laminate thickness compared to the baseline design. This significant result was accomplished while maintaining full regulatory compliance; the failure index increased by approximately 22.5% and 23.3% for the two composite laminate configurations, respectively, effectively maximizing material utilization. A key finding of this study is the preservation of structural dynamic integrity; the fundamental natural frequency was maintained at approximately 16 Hz, with a high correlation across the first ten vibration modes, confirming that the global dynamic behaviour remains unaffected. These observations provide critical insights into the synergy between hybridization and structural constraints, suggesting a systematic pathway for designers to achieve an optimal trade-off between manufacturing costs, weight reduction, and performance in advanced urban transit platforms. Full article
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