Predicting the performance and failures of variable stiffness materials

Every summer, LIST looks back at the success stories from the previous year. LIST is currently developing a modelling strategy to predict the mechanical performance of Variable Stiffness Composites.

Variable Stiffness Composites (VSC) are essential for light-weight and high-performance applications, such as aerospace. As part of a research project led by Gaetano Giunta, LIST aims to develop a theoretical framework and a multiscale modelling strategy capable of determining both the best configuration for a VSC structure and taking account of the main manufacturing requirements, as well as the imperfections caused by the processes, from the design phase.

Therefore, the team is working on developing a modelling strategy enabling the mechanical performance of these composites to be predicted, while taking into account failure mechanisms on the mesoscopic scale, i.e. the intermediate scale, between the atomic and the molecular.

Discover more success stories in the digital version of the LIST 2021 annual report, including videos, podcasts and links to more information, or download the PDF version, in English and French.