Cracking Down on Fracture to Functionalise Damage

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: de Waal, Leo, Chouzouris, Matthaios, Dias, Marcelo A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866909556243693568
author de Waal, Leo
Chouzouris, Matthaios
Dias, Marcelo A.
author_facet de Waal, Leo
Chouzouris, Matthaios
Dias, Marcelo A.
contents In this work we propose a novel relationship between topology and damage propagation in Maxwell lattices that redefines fracture as a functional design feature rather than mere degradation. We demonstrate that topologically protected modes, inherently robust against perturbations, localise along lattice discontinuities and govern the mechanical response. By precisely engineering the microstructure, we direct these modes to control stress distributions and trigger predictable, controlled damage. Our findings -- validated through comprehensive numerical simulations and experiments -- advance our understanding of nontrivial mechanical responses in Maxwell lattices and establish a clear framework for designing materials with improved fracture energy. This work paves the way for further exploration of topology-driven phenomena in mechanical systems and promises a new direction in the design of robust materials.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_22556
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Cracking Down on Fracture to Functionalise Damage
de Waal, Leo
Chouzouris, Matthaios
Dias, Marcelo A.
Soft Condensed Matter
Materials Science
Other Condensed Matter
Applied Physics
In this work we propose a novel relationship between topology and damage propagation in Maxwell lattices that redefines fracture as a functional design feature rather than mere degradation. We demonstrate that topologically protected modes, inherently robust against perturbations, localise along lattice discontinuities and govern the mechanical response. By precisely engineering the microstructure, we direct these modes to control stress distributions and trigger predictable, controlled damage. Our findings -- validated through comprehensive numerical simulations and experiments -- advance our understanding of nontrivial mechanical responses in Maxwell lattices and establish a clear framework for designing materials with improved fracture energy. This work paves the way for further exploration of topology-driven phenomena in mechanical systems and promises a new direction in the design of robust materials.
title Cracking Down on Fracture to Functionalise Damage
topic Soft Condensed Matter
Materials Science
Other Condensed Matter
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.22556