Mechanical Properties and Crushed Damage of Composite Sandwich Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Composite materials are increasingly critical in aerospace, automotive, civil engineering, renewable energy, and marine applications owing to their high strength-to-weight ratio, high stiffness, and tailorable mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of composite materials, such as strength, stiffness, and toughness, are fundamental to their application. These properties determine how composite structures perform under different loading scenarios. When composite materials are subjected to impact or excessive loading, they can experience complex damage mechanisms, which can severely affect their structural integrity. The evaluation of damaged conditions is essential for predicting the lifespan and reliability of composite-based structures, regardless of whether they are made from polymer-, metal-, or ceramic-matrix composites.

Notably, advanced composite materials have complex failure mechanisms, particularly under crushing and impact loadings, which remains an important research topic. Therefore, the failure mechanisms, damage evolution, and energy-absorbing and impact characteristics of composite materials are essential for evaluating and optimizing their quasi-static and dynamic properties in possible lightweight structural applications. This Special Issue will gather cutting-edge research addressing experimental, numerical, and theoretical methods for assessing the mechanical properties and crushed damage behaviour of composite materials, including polymer-, metal-, and ceramic-based composites. We invite original research and review articles, including but not limited to fracture mechanics and quasi-static and dynamic responses.

This Special Issue will focus on, but is not limited to, the following topics:

1. Damage mechanisms and characterization

• Experimental and computational studies of crushing-induced failure modes (e.g., fibre kinking, delamination, matrix cracking, and fragmentation);
• Advanced techniques for real-time damage monitoring (e.g., in situ X-ray tomography, digital image correlation, acoustic emission).

2. Mechanical properties under various loading conditions

• Quasi-static and dynamic crushing behaviour of polymer-, metal-, and ceramic-matrix composites;
• Effects of fibre/matrix interfaces, hybrid architectures, and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity) on quasi-static and dynamic resistance.

3. Failure prediction modelling and simulation assisted with machine-learning approach

• Multiscale modelling (FEA, DEM) of damage initiation and propagation;
• Machine learning approaches for predicting failure thresholds and energy absorption.

4. Advanced materials and damage mitigation strategies

• Bio-inspired, hierarchical, and nanocomposite designs for improving impact performance;
• Self-healing composites and smart and adaptive materials for damage recovery.

5. Multi-functional applications and sustainability

• Crashworthiness and impact characteristics for automotive/aerospace structures, lightweight civil engineering, and multi-functional applications;
• Recyclability and lifecycle analysis of damaged composite materials for sustainable development.

Prof. Dr. Jian Xiong
Dr. Quanjin Ma
Guest Editors

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