Numerical modeling of nonlinear photoelasticity

Mehnert, M., Oates, W. and Steinmann, P. (2023) Numerical modeling of nonlinear photoelasticity. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 124(7), pp. 1602-1619. (doi: 10.1002/nme.7177)

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Abstract

When molecular photo-switches, such as azobenzene or norbornadiene, are embedded into a sufficiently soft polymer matrix the resulting compound can undergo a mechanical deformation induced by light of a specific wavelength. These photo-sensitive compounds have the potential to be applied as soft actuators without the need for hard wired electronics or a separate energy source. Such characteristics are especially attractive in the design of micro-scale robots but also other applications such as high-speed data transfer or the conversion of photonic energy into a mechanical response holds great promise. Despite these almost futuristic possibilities, photo-sensitive polymers have not yet experienced a sufficient attention in industrial applications. One important factor to increase the acceptance of this group of soft smart materials is the formulation of a rigorous constitutive modeling approach in combination with numerical simulation methods. Thus, in this contribution we present a photo-mechanical modeling approach, departing from the fundamentals published previously. We briefly introduce the necessary constitutive equations which are subsequently utilized in combination with the respective balance laws into a finite element implementation. Finally, the capabilities of the numerical solution approach are illustrated by a simple two-dimensional bench-mark example and subsequently extended to a more complex three-dimensional problem.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:M. Mehnert acknowledges the funding within the DFG project No. STE 544/52-2 and GRK2495/C. William Oates greatly appreciates support from the Department of Defense Basic Research Program for HBCU/MI (W911NF-19-S-0009). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
Keywords:Applied Mathematics, General Engineering, Numerical Analysis
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Steinmann, Professor Paul
Authors: Mehnert, M., Oates, W., and Steinmann, P.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment
Journal Name:International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:0029-5981
ISSN (Online):1097-0207
Published Online:23 November 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 124(7): 1602-1619
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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