Objective
Off-axis cracks are the first and most crucial design-limiting damage in composites, but studying their initiation and propagation is very challenging, causing a lack of understanding. Bio-inspiration is a powerful strategy to design new materials by circumventing the intricate interactions between structure and damage development. However, this strategy often fails to recreate the complex, multiscale nature of natural materials, does not fully consider the very different constituent properties, and, most importantly, limits the design space.
CRACKAR thus takes a different path: it aims to (1) develop a fundamental understanding of off-axis crack initiation and propagation and (2) exploit this new understanding to arrest off-axis cracks by designing and manufacturing patterned laminates. We will first characterise off-axis crack development in situ by combining multiprojection imaging at MHz rates with a slower 3D technique down to 150 nm voxel size. These techniques, never or rarely applied to composites, can deliver unique, currently inaccessible insights. Applying them to crack initiation and propagation in conventional laminates will set the foundations to unravel the root causes. This is supported by the development and experimental validation of an efficient 3D numerical model that bridges the micro- and mesoscale via deep learning. Once validated, genetic algorithms will mimic evolutionary trial-and-error to optimise the established working principles and maximise crack arrest. The designed patterns will then be manufactured using a novel, scalable imprinting process or established processes such as tailored fibre placement and laser cutting.
CRACKAR will showcase that careful experimental validation of a multiscale model can revolutionise mechanistic understanding. This achievement would yield profound gains for composites and materials research as a whole, enabling us to tailor the material to the loading scenario.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering composites
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence machine learning deep learning
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3000 LEUVEN
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.