Material engineering with real ‘impact’

Understanding what happens when objects are damaged is helping University of Oxford engineers develop new, exotic materials, systems, and structures.

When it comes to research with measurable impact, a team in the Department of Engineering Science led by Dr Nik Petrinic deliver on more than one level. After all, they investigate how materials, systems, and structures react to rapidly changing loading conditions – in other words, how they respond when they undergo impact.

These researchers are interested in the interplay between modelling techniques at different length scales: how loading and consequent deformation of an entire structure manifests itself at smaller scales of the underlying materials, and how the corresponding phenomena at minute-length scales can be used in the simulation of processes at larger length scales. To do that, they are developing ground-breaking modelling techniques capable of simultaneously computing and combining relevant effects, known as concurrent multi-scale modelling. But the work is not all theoretical: these new ways of thinking are being put into practice in a host of applications.

Working with material scientists, the team is developing a new breed of super-strong ceramics, which could be used for applications ranging from protective clothing to armoured vehicles. Their computational modelling allows them to design experiments that can test how materials react at the microscopic level, providing material scientists with the data they require to tweak the materials to the point of perfection. Elsewhere, the team is working on the next generation of materials intended for use in submarine applications. These exotic composites can withstand immense pressures and shocks unlike any metal – not to mention shrugging off being immersed in water for months or even years on end, while maintaining their multi-functionality.

But while these technologies sound like something from a James Bond film, the results actually feed back into commercial applications extremely quickly. The team’s work on Rolls-Royce jet engine impacts has seen aerospace engineers develop new solutions for bird strikes on engine components, and car manufacturers such as BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, and Jaguar are using the group’s cutting-edge knowledge of materials to make safer, lighter and more efficient vehicles. By understanding how materials react to collisions, University of Oxford researchers can help develop ever more revolutionary materials that will benefit everyone.

Funded by: The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Rolls-Royce, the European Union, Dstl, BAE Systems, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, and Jaguar.