Calls for papers

 

International Journal of Automotive Composites

 

Special Issue on: "Modelling of Advanced Composite Materials (ACMs) for Automotive Applications"

Guest Editors:
Prof. Volnei Tita, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Prof. Rui Miranda Guedes, University of Porto, Portugal

Recent improvements in manufacturing processes and material properties associated with excellent mechanical characteristics and low density have made advanced composite materials (ACMs) very attractive for application in automotive structures. However, even new designs are still very conservative, because the behaviour of ACMs is very complex. In fact, modelling of composite structures is very complicated, e.g. these structures exhibit multiple types of damage before total rupture associated to viscoelastic or viscoplastic behaviour.

To support the design of automotive parts made of ACMs, from concepts to engineering details, consistent material models are required. Based on the observation of major physical mechanisms, it is possible to develop a mathematical formulation to model the behaviour of composite structures. Moreover, by using experiments and/or literature data, it is possible to identify the parameters related to the proposed material model. The feasibility of implementing the material model as a computational tool depends on the complexity of its mathematical formulation. In order to check its potentialities and limitations, the material model proposal must be evaluated against experimental data and/or other models. Hence, the material model usually needs to be investigated for quasi-static and/or impact loadings, for fatigue and/or durability, and for vibration and/or environmental effects, considering the requirements imposed by the design.

Different approaches and material models have been developed to simulate the behaviour of structures made of ACMs. Although the number of approaches and models has increased immensely, the prediction of composite structure behaviour is still a big challenge. On the one hand, due to the intrinsic heterogeneity and/or anisotropy of composite materials, the predictions become very complex and not well defined. However, on the other hand, these characteristics give the opportunity to design not only the structure, but also the material. Thus, sometimes it is strategic to use multi-scale approaches. Therefore, it is a very difficult task to achieve the requirements imposed by automotive standards while engineers search to obtain the best performance of the ACM part, i.e. to achieve the optimum design.

This special issue aims to enhance the link between different fields of expertise that have the numerical tools to predict the mechanical behaviour of ACMs, including material models for ACMs as well as material design and structural analysis of automotive components made from these types of materials. Hopefully this will bring new insights and developments into the mathematical formulation of new material models, into aspects related to parameter identification and computational implementation and analyses and into the validation process by using experiments, literature data and/or other models.

This issue will present articles of interest to structure and material researchers, to engineers and to other scientists involved in the modelling of ACMs, mainly related to automotive applications.

Subject Coverage
Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• ACM modelling: functionally gradient materials, joints and adhesion, smart composites, textile composites, thermoplastic and thermosetting composites, sandwich structures
• Mathematical formulation of material models
• Parameter identification process of material models
• Computational implementation of material models
• Validation processes of material models
• Damage modelling and/or simulation
• Impact modelling and/or simulation
• Fatigue modelling and/or simulation
• Durability and long-term modelling and/or simulation
• Multi-scale modelling and/or simulation of ACMs: micro-, meso- and/or macro-mechanics models
• Vibration modelling and/or simulation
• Thermal and environmental effects modelling and/or simulation
• Design of materials for ACMs: prediction of effective properties
• Modelling and optimisation of structures made from ACMs

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. (N.B. Conference papers may only be submitted if the paper has been completely re-written and if appropriate written permissions have been obtained from any copyright holders of the original paper).

All papers are refereed through a peer review process.

All papers must be submitted online. To submit a paper, please read our Submitting articles page.

Important Dates

Manuscripts due by: 15 August, 2014

Notification to authors: 1 October, 2014

Revised versions due: 15 November, 2014

Final versions due by: 15 December 2014