Dipartimento di Fisica

Descrizione del progetto

This proposal sets out with the ambitious goal of designing and realizing a new class of mechanical metamaterials (MMs) with improved vibrational properties to provide society with novel applicative tools in different technological fields.

Metamaterials are a hot research topic at the moment, exhibiting exotic properties (such as band gaps, negative refraction, focusing, etc.) and numerous important applications are emerging in the field. However, universally valid design criteria for material combinations and geometries are currently lacking, and the effectiveness of presently available structures is normally restricted to limited frequency ranges. Thus, MetApp intends to address the challenge of developing a new class of engineered metamaterials inspired by hierarchical biological structures using state-of-the-art analytical and numerical approaches. Proof of principle experiments will then be proposed for the developed materials for exploitation in innovative applicative sectors spanning the considered wavelength scales, from acoustic insulation to seismic protection. 

The specific objectives of the project can be stated as follows:

Objective 1: To design geometry, composition and multi-scale structure of the novel mechanical metamaterials (MMs) inspired by biological systems. The main output will be to define several proposals for optimal geometry, composition and multi-scale structure for innovative MMs guiding the next steps.

Objective 2: To develop new mathematical models and numerical tools to predict wave propagation phenomena associated with the hierarchical architectures studied in Objective 1. These will be necessary to describe in detail the dynamical properties of hierarchical systems and investigate the interplay between the internal critical structural length scales.

Objective 3: To design and optimize devices operating at multiple frequency regimes using tools developed in Objective 2. Two applications will be considered:

(a)   protection systems capable of withstanding seismic events for strategic infrastructures;

(b)   innovative efficient, lightweight and modular noise reduction systems allowing air and light to pass through.

Risultati e pubblicazioni

Miniaci, M , Gliozzi, A ?s , Morvan, B , Krushynska, A , Bosia, F , Scalerandi, M , Pugno, N ?m (2017)
Proof of Concept for an Ultrasensitive Technique to Detect and Localize Sources of Elastic Nonlinearity Using Phononic Crystals.
https://iris.unito.it/handle/2318/1640352

Miniaci, Marco, Krushynska, Anastasiia, Bosia, Federico, Pugno, Nicola M (2016)
Large scale mechanical metamaterials as seismic shields.
https://iris.unito.it/handle/2318/1589868

Miniaci, Marco, Krushynska, Anastasiia, Movchan, Alexander B , Bosia, Federico, Pugno, Nicola M (2016)
Spider web-inspired acoustic metamaterials.
https://iris.unito.it/handle/2318/1595174

Krushynska, A , Miniaci, M , Bosia, F , Pugno, N M (2016)
Coupling local resonance with Bragg band gaps in single-phase mechanical metamaterials.
https://iris.unito.it/handle/2318/1608551