Title: Architected granular materials for impact mitigation

Author (Talk): Amit Dawadi, Clark University

Abstract:

Presenter: Amit Dawadi Authors: Amit Dawadi and Arshad Kudrolli Abstract: Traditional granular matter scatters upon impact and undergoes irreversible global change, limiting their effectiveness as impact mitigators. We introduce a new class of materials consisting of discrete grains, specifically spherical shells, interlocked in three dimensions with loose links with conical frustum-shaped heads. This flexible granular network shows remarkable adaptability and structural reversibility under repeated impact. Under impact it can access the different local configurations permitted by internal degrees of freedom using impact energy to overcome friction and inelastic collision between the components. This leads to quick momentum attenuation, showing potential applications in impact mitigation and protective gear.