IRES Track I: Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing of Active and Sustainable Composite Structures

这项提议的目的是为学生开发国际研究体验(IRES)，由德克萨斯农工大学(TAMU)和英国布里斯托尔复合材料研究所(BCI)的德克萨斯农工机械工程实验站(TES)的设计与制造力学创新中心(CiMDM)赞助的研究人员组织。该项目每年派出6名来自不同背景的美国本科生和/或研究生，在BCI获得先进复合材料(通过将两种或两种以上材料组合以获得具有理想功能的第三种材料)的设计、制造和测试方面的尖端经验。开发先进的可持续复合材料的专业知识对于建立和保持美国在这一领域的竞争力至关重要，这对美国国防工业尤其关键。这些结构将为制造从小型部件(如假肢和可穿戴传感器)到大型结构(如先进的飞机、民用基础设施、风力涡轮机等)的各种产品提供一种有吸引力、节能和材料高效且可持续的方式。IRES项目为美国提供了一个机会，利用其与英国的良好关系，在一个具有显著增长的高价值行业的新兴领域培训不同的学生群体(和未来的劳动力)。这个Track 1 IRES网站的重点是英国布里斯托尔大学布里斯托尔复合材料研究所(BCI)的主动和可持续复合材料结构的设计、力学和制造。IRES的学生将参与围绕这一主题建立的不同研究项目，这些项目基于我们的工业合作伙伴提出的挑战和我们在BCI的合作者考虑的研究问题。该提案建立在我们与BCI合作的基础上，并由德克萨斯州农工大学(TAMU)德克萨斯州农工机械工程实验站(TES)的设计与制造力学创新中心(CiMDM)赞助。欧洲和美国已开始在这一领域开展重大研发活动，重点放在复合材料数字工程这一新兴领域，以解决在其生命周期内管理复杂和不断发展的技术的困难。TES的IRES团队一直在研究新的数字建模技术(基于非局部力学)，用于对各种工程细观结构的耐久性和断裂进行多尺度建模。BCI专注于复合材料的数字工程(基于集成模拟的设计和制造)，被认为是该领域的世界领导者。基于这种互补的方法和过去的合作，PI已经制定了学生项目，重点是复合材料的智能数字制造，以优化工艺和成本。这些项目是：(1)设计智能复合材料和结构，以开发具有新功能的复合材料系统；(2)生物基天然纤维复合材料和循环生命周期设计，以开发可回收复合材料；(3)健康监测和复合材料强度和耐久性研究，侧重于提高复合材料的耐久性和弹性；以及(4)复合材料的智能数字化制造，以优化工艺和成本。这四个领域中每一个领域的具体研究挑战都将与我们的行业合作伙伴NCC(设计和原型开发)、Vestas(风力涡轮机)、空中客车(飞机)和劳斯莱斯(风扇叶片复合材料)协商提出。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The aim of this proposal is to develop an International Research Experience for Students (IRES), organized by researchers under the auspices of the Center of Innovation in Mechanics for Design and Manufacturing (CiMDM) at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and Bristol Composites Institute (BCI), UK. The project sends 6 U.S. undergraduate and/or graduate students from diverse backgrounds per year to gain cutting edge experience in the design, manufacture, and testing of advanced composite materials (which are produced by combining two or more materials to obtain third material with desirable functionalities) at BCI. Expertise in the development of advanced sustainable composites is critical to building and maintaining US competitiveness in this area which is critical to the US defense industry in particular. These structures are poised to offer an attractive, energy and material efficient, and sustainable way for manufacturing products ranging from small-scale components (such as prosthetics and wearable sensors) to large-scale structures (such as advanced air craft, civil infrastructure, wind turbines, and so on). This IRES program offers a chance for the US to leverage its excellent relationship with the UK and train a diverse group of students (and future workforce) in an emerging area in a high-value industry with significant growth. This TRACK 1 IRES site focuses on Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing of Active and Sustainable Composite Structures at the Bristol Composites Institute (BCI), University of Bristol, UK. The IRES students will participate in different research projects built around this theme based on challenges posed by our industrial partners and research questions considered by our collaborators at BCI. The proposal builds on our collaboration with BCI and under the auspices of the Center of Innovation in Mechanics for Design and Manufacturing (CiMDM), Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Europe and the US have embarked on major Research and Development initiatives in this area focused on the emerging area of digital engineering of composites to address the difficulties of managing complex and evolving technologies over their lifecycles. The IRES team at TEES have been investigating novel digital modeling techniques (based on nonlocal mechanics) for the multiscale modeling of the durability and fracture of a broad range of engineered mesostructures. The BCI has focused on digital engineering (integrated simulation-based design and manufacturing) of composites and are considered world leaders in this field. Based on this complementary approach and past collaborations, the PIs have crafted the student projects focused on smart digital manufacturing of composites to optimize processes and cost. The projects are: (1) design of smart composite materials and structures for the development of composite systems with novel functionality; (2) bio-based natural fiber composites and circular life cycle design for the development of recyclable composites; (3) health monitoring and composite strength and durability studies focused on increasing the durability and resilience of composites; and (4) smart digital manufacturing of composites to optimize processes and cost. Specific research challenges in each of these four areas will be posed in consultation with our industry partners NCC (design and prototype development), Vestas (Wind turbines), Airbus(Aircraft), and Rolls Royce (composites for fan blades).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.