Final Report Summary - MASTER (Mastering the Computational Challenges in Numerical Modeling and Optimum Design of CNT Reinforced Composites)
(i) Development of a validated numerical analysis tool for accurate multiscale stochastic modeling and analysis of CNT-RCs, based on innovative surrogate models which take into consideration the nonlinear material response as well as damping phenomena under dynamic excitation.
(ii) Investigation of the mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, damping) of CNT-RC materials fabricatable with the current manufacturing technology, for various CNT configurations.
(iii) Consideration of fabrication process-induced uncertainties related to CNT length, diameter, orientation, waviness and dispersion in a systematicway, within a rational stochastic modelling.
(iv) Comparative evaluation of the mechanical properties of different CNT-RC configurations with respect to their characteristic parameters and critical assessment of the obtained results for a range of CNT volume fractions.
(v) Implementation of the proposed numerical analysis to macro-scale structural CNT-RC components using hierarchical as well as concurrent multiscale approaches.
(vi) Development of metaheuristic and hybrid optimization algorithms to be used for achieving robust optimum designs of CNT-RCs, in terms of mechanical behavior, with respect to nominal length, diameter and orientation of CNTs, minimizing the influence of the involved uncertainties.
(vii) Development of highly scalable DD solution techniques to address large scale numerical simulations.
(viii) Development of optimization and stochastic solution methods
(ix) Integration of the previously described methodologies in an in house open source code named MSolve, capable to exploit recent developments in HPC technology in order to master the excessive computational effort required to achieve the final objective of the project. This objective consists of implementing the developed multiscale tools in the framework of stochastic optimization to achieve optimum RC-CNT designs with respect mechanical properties and in particular stiffness and damping.
x) Application of Msolve to design innovative next generation advances CNT reinforced composite meta-materials.