Multiscale/Multiphysics
Ph.D. student: Gilberto Méjia-Rodríguez
Research applications involving design tool development for multiscale material design are at an early stage of development. The computational requirements of advanced numerical tools for simulating material behavior such as the finite element method (FEM) and the molecular dynamics method (MD) can prohibit direct integration of these tools in a design optimization procedure where multiple iterations are required. One, therefore, requires a design approach that can incorporate multiple simulations (multi-physics) of varying fidelity such as FEM and MD in an iterative model management framework that can significantly reduce design cycle times. In this research a variable fidelity model management framework is used in the development of a material design tool. Variable fidelity model management methods have been developed to solve optimization problems that involve computationally intensive simulation. The variable fidelity material design framework integrates material performance analyses with differing levels of fidelity using a model management framework. The trust region variable fidelity optimization framework will be used for the simulation-based multiscale material design to predict the range of the most suitable phase morphologies for the desired high-temperature properties of the SiC-Si3N4 nanocomposites. The variable fidelity material design framework is particularly valuable for multiscale material design in that multiscale material modeling inherently makes use of variable fidelity models. Also, as part of the research, variable fidelity material models are being developed including atomistic and meso-scale modeling of the high-temperature creep, high-temperature strength and fracture resistance of the SiC-Si3N4 nanocomposites as a function of their morphology.
