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Frontiers of Engineering Reports on Leading-Edge Engineering from the 2004 NAE Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering (2005) / Chapter Skim
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The Future of Engineering Materials: Multifunction for Performance-Tailored Structures--Leslie A. Momoda
Pages 47-54

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From page 47...
... These performance-tailored structures will have the ability to change or adapt the performance or style of a structure on demand. Today, engineers can imagine designing adaptive flight profiles from morphing aircraft-wing structures; comforttailored performance, such as active structural vibration and noise suppression or temperature compensation, from louvered or pore-based "smart skins"; energyefficient structures, such as tropical-plant-inspired solar structures; adaptive structures that can compensate for distortion or heal themselves; and structures reconfigured to satisfy style preferences.
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From page 48...
... MULTIFUNCTIONAL MATERIAL SYSTEMS A multifunctional material is typically a composite or hybrid of several distinct material phases, in which each phase performs a different but necessary function, such as structure, transport, logic, or energy storage. Because each phase of the material performs an essential function, and because there is little or no parasitic weight or volume, multifunctional materials promise more weightefficient, volume-efficient performance flexibility and potentially less maintenance than traditional multicomponent brass-board systems.
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From page 49...
... The integration of actuation or sensing mechanisms into tailorable structural materials, which is essential for mechanical reconfigurability and structural morphing, is another area under investigation. Research using metallic foams or highly engineered mesostructured materials (dos Santos e Lucato et al., 2004)
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From page 50...
... Research conducted at HRL Laboratories, LLC, using hybrid, shape-memory materials (Figure 2) , has demonstrated the feasibility of using integrated actuating tendons in a variably stiff matrix to produce lowenergy flexure during reconfiguration but shape fixity for structural hold without energy when the motion is complete (W.
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From page 51...
... Sigmund and Torquato (1999) have done extensive work on topological optimization methods to determine the best morphological materials architectures to optimize performance from a highly integrated Type III material embedding of very dissimilar physical mechanisms.
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From page 52...
... Typically, system designers choose from a toolbox of materials that have already been developed, and the materials scientist predesigns these materials to improve a single function. Often the materials scientist, who acts independently of the design team, is present only to characterize data or troubleshoot a problem after design.
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From page 53...
... 1999. Design of smart composite materials using topology optimiza tion.
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Key Terms

  • materials scientist
  • multifunctional material
  • energy storage
  • type iii
  • optimization tools

  • energy density
  • structural materials
  • physical mechanisms
  • electrical conductivity
  • hrl laboratories

  • iii materials
  • design methodology
  • single function
  • integrated type
  • mechanical strain

  • improved energy
  • variably stiff
  • elastomer rolls
  • current subsystems
  • structural hold

  • darpa synthetic
  • laminate materials
  • using fibers
  • material performs
  • dos santos

  • including logic
  • designers choose
  • storage directly
  • acts independently
  • stiff matrix


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