Multi-physics modeling on soft and smart materials for applications and development of soft material-based devices and metamaterials

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It is well known that systems in engineering mostly use hard materials, while life and biological systems are usually composed of soft and active substances. This conspicuous contrast has prompted a nascent field of soft material engineering systems in the research community. One of the future challenges facing the human society will emerge on the interface between engineering and biological systems. To overcome this future challenge, it is essential to study soft materials with extraordinary functions since they have the potential to seamlessly connect engineering and biological systems. As typical soft and smart materials, dielectric elastomers (DEs) and hydrogels have received growing interest in a variety of engineering fields due to their unique properties, particularly large deformation capability under external stimuli. These materials have potential applications as soft material-based devices including artificial muscles, soft robots, biomedical devices, soft machines, haptic interfaces and etc. Better exploitation of these novel materials requires increased understanding on the fundamentals governing their delicate multi-physics coupling mechanisms. Therefore, the objective of this research program is to establish a rigorous modeling and simulation framework to predict the performance of systems based on soft and smart materials through elucidating the complex interplay among multi-physics coupling, material viscoelasticity, geometric nonlinearity, and various failure modes. The grand vision of this research is to develop multi-functional soft material-based devices and metamaterials with desirable properties that could be actively controlled by external stimuli. The theoretical modeling framework is based on continuum mechanics and the theories of thermodynamics. The performance of these soft material-based structures will be investigated through both theoretical modeling and numerical simulations. This innovative research program will take full advantage of the applicant's expertise in multi-physics modeling, continuum mechanics, composites, finite element modeling, as well as dynamic analysis of structures. The training through this program will equip HQP with extensive experiences and skills in the area of smart and soft materials, including modeling development and numerical simulation in characterizing material properties, as well as design methodology of new advanced materials. We are very optimistic that the outcomes from this program will nurture great opportunities to establish industrial collaborations and provide new job opportunities. The successful completion of this program will help to develop the next-generation soft material-based devices to be deployed across the economy in advanced materials and manufacturing, biomedical, transduction technology, and beyond. In addition, this frontier work will also enhance Canada's profile in the global academic community.