CAREER: Auxetic Lattice Reinforcing Metamaterial Architectures for a New Class of Concrete Metastructures

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This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program will exploit unique mechanical properties of architected metamaterials to create a new class of reinforced concrete structures (i.e., metastructures) with mechanical properties (i.e., strength, ductility and energy absorption) superior to those available today. Reinforced concrete is among the most commonly used structural materials in the world and therefore significant improvements in its properties have transformative societal implications such as reducing costs, as well as increasing the quality and capabilities of structures. Reinforced concrete metastructures, either designed directly from or influenced by architected metamaterials, combine material and architecture in unique ways to achieve previously unattainable properties. The education and outreach plan of this program will enhance the scientific literacy of underserved bilingual students at all levels by developing educational strategies with effective scientific content. It will engage elementary students through the “Engineering is Elementary” program of the Boston Museum of Science and will also facilitate transfer of knowledge to the industry by linking educational activities to industrial work.The research relies on a novel concrete confinement technique which can be achieved through a unique mechanical property found in architected metamaterials. The research approach is to employ auxetic (negative Poisson’s ratio) metamaterial lattice architectures as reinforcement and demonstrate the utility of this new auxetically confined concrete for improving the performance of members within a building structural system. Through material synthesis of the concrete matrix and the auxetic lattice, a new composite will be created and a new auxetic confinement model will be developed in the inelastic range. To achieve this, an integrated computational and experimental research program will be pursued. Finally, to upscale the auxetically confined concrete for building structures, the research program will employ digital fabrication and automated manufacturing techniques to efficiently manufacture auxetically confined concrete structural members. Columns and shear wall coupling beams will be designed and experimentally tested to demonstrate the capabilities of the new auxetically confined reinforced concrete, aiming at improved strength and ductility as well as increased shear strength and energy absorption.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.