Composite Structures: Mechanics, Testing, Modelling and Engineering Applications
A Special Issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) belonging to the section "Advanced Composites".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 March 2027 | Viewed by 185
Editors
Interests: mechanics of sandwich panels; composites; local instability; structure identification; optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: structured materials; material characterization; dynamic load; material damping; machine tool structures
Interests: FEM (finite element method); modal analysis; dynamics; heuristic algo-rithms; optimization
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The rapid development of advanced composite structures has significantly transformed modern engineering, enabling the design of lightweight, high-performance, and durable systems across numerous industrial sectors. From aerospace and automotive engineering to civil infrastructure, marine systems, and renewable energy technologies, composites have become indispensable materials due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, fatigue performance, and adaptability to complex loading conditions. As engineering demands continue to evolve toward greater sustainability, efficiency, and structural reliability, the need for deeper scientific understanding and innovative engineering solutions in the field of composite structures has become increasingly important.
This Special Issue, “Composite Structures: Mechanics, Testing, Modelling and Engineering Applications”, aims to provide a comprehensive platform for presenting recent advances related to the analysis, characterization, design, and practical implementation of composite materials and structures. The Issue brings together contributions from researchers and engineers exploring theoretical developments, experimental investigations, computational modelling, and the interdisciplinary applications of composites in modern engineering practice.
The mechanics of composite structures remain a central area of research due to the inherent complexity of heterogeneous materials and their anisotropic behavior. Understanding stress distribution, failure mechanisms, damage evolution, fracture processes, and stability phenomena is essential for the safe and efficient use of composite systems. In parallel, experimental testing methods continue to evolve, incorporating advanced diagnostic techniques, non-destructive evaluation, digital image correlation, acoustic emission monitoring, and multiscale material characterization. Such approaches provide valuable insights into the behavior of composite materials under static, dynamic, thermal, and environmental loading conditions.
Equally important are the developments in computational modelling and numerical simulation. Modern finite element methods, multiscale approaches, machine learning techniques, and data-driven models have considerably enhanced the ability to predict the performance and durability of composite structures. These tools support optimization processes, reduce experimental costs, and accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions in engineering practice. The integration of modelling with experimental validation remains crucial for improving the reliability and applicability of advanced composite systems.
This Special Issue also emphasizes the broad spectrum of engineering applications of composite structures. Contemporary challenges related to sustainable construction, lightweight transportation systems, energy efficiency, and resilient infrastructure have created new opportunities for composites in civil, mechanical, aerospace, and biomedical engineering. Hybrid composites, smart materials, bio-based composites, and multifunctional structural systems represent rapidly growing research directions with significant industrial potential.
The Editors hope that this collection of papers will contribute to strengthening the collaboration between academia and industry while stimulating further discussions of the emerging trends and future challenges in composite engineering. By combining perspectives from mechanics, materials science, testing methodologies, and computational engineering, this Special Issue seeks to highlight the multidisciplinary nature of composite structures research and to inspire innovative solutions for next-generation engineering applications.
Prof. Dr. Zbigniew Pozorski
Dr. Zuzana Murčinková
Prof. Dr. Dawid Cekus
Guest Editors
Dr. Jolanta Pozorska
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- composite structures
- sandwich structures
- thin-walled structures
- finite element method
- experimental methods
- local instability
- failure mechanisms
- material identification
- inverse problems
- sensitivity analysis
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