Our research connects structural design, computational mechanics, and experiments. The three themes are parts of one program: create new structural concepts, understand the mechanics that govern them, and use that knowledge in systems with a practical protective function.
We study how geometry, topology, and connectivity can be used to control structural response. Current work examines architected materials that develop mechanisms such as rotation, buckling, and sequential collapse, with the goal of relating geometric rules to measurable behavior.
One developing direction uses geometric pattern families from Anatolian kilims and related tiling traditions as structured topology spaces. The aim is not decorative inspiration, but a systematic way to connect repetition, symmetry, and connectivity with deformation mechanisms.
Ongoing research. Detailed geometries and design parameters are not posted before publication.
We ask why structures with similar mass, stiffness, or initial energy can follow very different paths under dynamic loading. Nonlinear finite element analysis is used to study how local deformation develops into global response, and model predictions are compared with experimental observations whenever appropriate.
The goal is not only to reproduce a test, but to identify the mechanics that control the response and to understand why one failure path develops instead of another.
We use mechanics to study protective systems that must work under realistic loading conditions. The design problem is broader than energy absorption alone: protection must be achieved without simply adding mass, while structural layout, material choice, allowable deformation, and uncertainty are considered together.
Applications include crashworthy structures, helmets, impact-resistant enclosures, aerospace components, and systems that use architected materials for controlled energy management.
A controlled study showed that identical kinetic energies can lead to different ballistic outcomes. The work identified three response regimes and linked arrest to the compatibility between projectile momentum and the fabric's finite impulse-handling capacity.
This study developed a finite element model that couples detailed yarn-scale and coarser fabric-scale regions through shared nodes. The interface improves the transfer of stress waves between the two scales, allowing the model to capture impact response with less computational cost than a fully meso-scale model.
Comparisons with experimental data and a full meso-scale model assessed its accuracy and efficiency. The validated approach was then applied to three-, five-, seven-, and ten-ply dry Kevlar fabrics to determine ballistic limits and examine energy transfer, deformation, and damage at each target’s V100 ballistic limit.
Palta, E., & Fang, H. (2019). On a multi-scale finite element model for evaluating the ballistic performance of multi-ply woven fabrics. Composite Structures, 217, 488–508.
