Modeling of soft materials subjected to high strain rate deformation

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Soft materials exhibit complex hyperelastic behaviour (non-linear), making modelling and simulation of their dynamic response challenging. Over many years, our team has worked on the characterization of soft materials' dynamic behaviour by supporting small- to large-size Canadian companies. However, we do not have adequate tools to model numerically those applications' materials exposed to high strain rates. Thus, the proposed research objectives and their outcomes/impacts correspond to using our team's extensive experimental data for (i) building numerical soft material models and (ii) validating the soft material numerical models. Our international collaboration with the University of Aegean will prompt new potential for generating new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) as soft materials are in the state-of-art for applications relative to manufacturing (e.g., elastomers, soft plastic) or bioengineering (e.g., hydrogels). Especially simulating their behaviour for dynamic applications is unique and will provide an innovative solution in the Canadian and international industries. Our selected international collaborator is an expert in the numerical modelling and simulations of materials, especially by using FEA. Our rationale for the selected international collaborator is to enhance our effort to limit the experimental tests required for characterizing the behaviour of soft materials and build models capable of predicting different deformation conditions. Thus, the proposed international collaboration, performed in an inclusive and welcoming environment free of gender bias and racism, aims to convert soft materials' dynamic characterization and simulation to an automatic procedure that can be widely used through any commercial FEA software.