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Mechanical Properties and Structural Reliability of Advanced Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 5222

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zhixin Huang

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Guest Editor

School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Energy Power Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: structural safety; reliability analysis; dynamic response characteristics; mechanical metamaterials; stress wave

Dr. Zihao Chen

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
Interests: dynamic response characteristics; blast shock protection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The continuous evolution of advanced materials—ranging from high-performance alloys and composites to bio-inspired and additive-manufactured materials—has revolutionized industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and biomedical engineering. As these materials push the boundaries of performance under extreme conditions, understanding their mechanical behavior and ensuring their structural reliability has become paramount for safe and sustainable applications.

This Special Issue addresses the critical challenges in characterizing, modeling, and predicting the mechanical properties and long-term reliability of advanced materials. Key obstacles include the interplay between microstructural complexity and macroscopic performance, time-dependent degradation mechanisms (e.g., fatigue, creep, and corrosion), and the influence of multi-physical interactions (thermo-mechanical, hygro-thermal, etc.) in harsh environments. Furthermore, bridging the gap between laboratory-scale testing and real-world operational conditions remains a persistent challenge for researchers and engineers.

Prof. Dr. Zhixin Huang
Dr. Zihao Chen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

structural safety
reliability analysis
dynamic response characteristics
finite element analysis
mechanical metamaterials
engineering application
mechanical properties

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 35717 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Objective Optimization Design and Impact Protection Efficacy of Locally Reinforced P-TPMS Forehead Helmet Liner

by Bin Yang, Hao Feng, Xin Li, Peng Zhang, Li Li, Xinyu Wei, Zongchen Su, Qi Jin, Jiawei Zhang and Jianhao Zhang

Materials 2026, 19(12), 2571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19122571 (registering DOI) - 14 Jun 2026

Abstract

The objective of this study is to mitigate the bottom-out failure and improve the energy absorption of conventional helmet liners during high-energy impacts, thereby reducing the risk of head injuries. To this end, a locally reinforced Primitive-type triply periodic minimal surface (P-TPMS) energy-absorbing liner is proposed for the helmet forehead region, which facilitates progressive energy dissipation through layer-by-layer buckling deformation. A finite element model of a helmet–head coupling was created based on a previously verified high-fidelity head model and subsequently validated against the ECE 22.06 standard drop-test methodology. Three critical design parameters—outer protective layer thickness, triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) unit cell size, and wall thickness—were optimized employing the Box–Behnken Design (BBD) response surface methodology, resulting in quadratic regression models for the head injury criteria (HIC) and peak linear acceleration (PLA) with good fit (

R^{2}

> 0.97). Optimal parameter combinations were established using multi-objective optimization, with protective efficacy carefully assessed from both head dynamic response and biomechanical response perspectives. The ideal P-TPMS liner possesses an outer protective layer thickness of 14.95 mm, a TPMS unit cell size of 12.23 mm, and a wall thickness of 3.93 mm. Compared to the traditional expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner, the optimized P-TPMS liner significantly reduces HIC (by ∼16%) and PLA (by ∼14%) while extending the impact duration. More critically, it transitions both intracranial pressure and brain tissue strain below their respective clinical injury thresholds, substantially lowering the risks of skull fracture and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The P-TPMS construction facilitates continuous energy dissipation during impacts via incremental layer-by-layer buckling deformation, hence extending impact duration and markedly improving helmet protective efficacy. These findings offer theoretical foundations and technical direction for the creation of localized heterogeneous liner designs in advanced high-performance helmets, although the results are limited to frontal flat-anvil impact conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties and Structural Reliability of Advanced Materials)

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17 pages, 4213 KB

Open AccessArticle

Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Hastelloy X with Inconel 738 Superalloy Using BNi-2 Interlayer: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

by Lin Yang, Yuwei Zhao, Xingdong Chen, Ke Li, Xingyu Zhang, Panpan Lin, Tiesong Lin and Peng He

Materials 2026, 19(2), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020227 - 6 Jan 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 558

Abstract

The dissimilar joining of solid-solution-strengthened superalloys and precipitation-strengthened superalloys enables complementary performance synergy, holding significant application potential in the aerospace industry. This study investigated the transient liquid phase bonding of Hastelloy X and IN738 using a BNi-2 interlayer, focusing on the effects of bonding temperature and time on interfacial microstructure evolution and mechanical properties. The results demonstrated that achieving complete isothermal solidification is paramount for joint properties, a process governed by the synergistic control of bonding temperature and time. At lower temperatures (e.g., 1050 °C), the joint centerline contained an athermal solidification zone (ASZ) rich in hard and brittle Cr-rich (∼15.9 GPa) and Ni-rich borides, which served as the failure initiation site. As the ASZ was progressively eliminated with increasing temperature, a fully isothermal solidified zone (ISZ, ∼52 μm wide) consisting of γ-Ni formed at 1100 °C. Concurrently, Cr-Mo borides (∼9.8 GPa) precipitated within the diffusion-affected zone (DAZ) on the Hastelloy X side, becoming the new potential sites for crack initiation. Prolonging the holding time at 1100 °C not only ensured complete isothermal solidification but also promoted Mo diffusion, which improved the plasticity of the Cr-Mo borides and their interfacial bonding with the γ-Ni matrix (∼5.9 GPa). This synergistic optimization resulted in a significant increase in joint shear strength, achieving a maximum value of 587 MPa under the optimal condition of 1100 °C/40 min. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties and Structural Reliability of Advanced Materials)

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19 pages, 3385 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Dynamic Mechanical Behavior of 34CrNi3MoA Alloy Steel Considering the Coupling Effect of Temperature and Strain Rate

by Xiaoyan Guan, Zhengyuan Zhang, Hengheng Wu, Jianzhi Chen, Li Sun and Guochao Li

Materials 2025, 18(20), 4658; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18204658 - 10 Oct 2025

Viewed by 1064

Abstract

Temperature and strain rate play a crucial role in determining the mechanical properties of metals. These critical parameters are typically assessed using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test. However, previous studies have seldom considered the coupled influence of temperature and strain rate on dynamic mechanical behavior, thereby reducing the accuracy of constitutive models. To accurately characterize the dynamic mechanical behavior of 34CrNi3MoA low-alloy steel, a new constitutive model combining temperature and strain rate was developed. Firstly, SHPB experiments under varying temperatures and strain rates were designed to obtain actual stress–strain curves. The results indicate that the mechanical properties of 34CrNi3MoA low-alloy steel are significantly influenced by both temperature and strain rate. True stress has a significant temperature-softening effect within the temperature range of 25 °C to 600 °C, while the flow stress in the yield stage increases with rising strain rate. Secondly, a novel constitutive model was established by integrating a correction function. The model comprises three components: a strain rate-strengthening function influenced by temperature, a temperature-softening function influenced by strain rate, and a strain-hardening correction function accounting for the coupling of temperature and strain rate. Comparing the mean relative error, the new model significantly improves accuracy compared to the original Johnson–Cook (J-C) model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties and Structural Reliability of Advanced Materials)

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13 pages, 3105 KB

Open AccessArticle

Fatigue Properties and Degradation of Cured Epoxy Adhesives Under Water and Air Environments

by Keiji Houjou, Haruhisa Akiyama and Kazumasa Shimamoto

Materials 2025, 18(17), 4166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18174166 - 5 Sep 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1302

Abstract

In this study, specimens cured with an epoxy adhesive were subjected to fatigue tests, which were conducted under air and water atmospheres at room temperature, because few studies have been conducted on the deformation behavior versus time (number of cycles) of the combined degradation due to moisture and cyclic stress. The epoxy adhesive was cured into plates and then cut into dumbbell-shaped specimens. Micro surface cracks were introduced into the specimen surfaces. The fatigue limit of smooth specimens without cracks in water improved compared to that in air. However, when a pre-crack was introduced at the specimen surface, all specimens fractured from the crack in water and showed the same strength as in air. Fracture toughness showed no significant difference in values between the fatigue tests in air and water. The loss factor, compliance, and creep deformation increased significantly in the fatigue tests in water compared to those for the tests in air. The specimens after testing showed that the C=O peak intensity was the same for immersion in water, fatigue in water, and fatigue in air. Therefore, no change in the chemical structure occurred during any of the loading tests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties and Structural Reliability of Advanced Materials)

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15 pages, 5604 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Dynamic Response and Energy Absorption of Lattice Sandwich Composite Structures Under Underwater Explosive Load

by Xiaolong Zhang, Shengjie Sun, Xiao Kang, Zhixin Huang and Ying Li

Materials 2025, 18(6), 1317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061317 - 17 Mar 2025

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1643

Abstract

This study investigates the underwater explosion resistance of aluminum alloy octet-truss lattice sandwich structures using shock tube experiments and LS-DYNA simulations. A systematic analysis reveals key mechanisms influencing protective performance. The sandwich configuration mitigates back plate displacement through quadrilateral inward deformation, exhibiting phased deformation responses between face plates and back plates mediated by lattice interactions. Increasing the lattice relative density from 0.1 to 0.3 reduces maximum back plate displacement by 22.2%. While increasing the target plate thickness to 1.5 mm reduces displacement by 47.6%, it also decreases energy absorption efficiency by 20% due to limited plastic deformation. Fluid–structure interaction simulations correlate well with 3D-DIC deformation measurements. The experimental results demonstrate the exceptional impact energy absorption capacity of the octet-truss lattice and highlight the importance of stiffness-matching strategies for enhanced energy dissipation. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the design of underwater protection structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties and Structural Reliability of Advanced Materials)

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