• Sergey Kozinov, Ruhr University Bochum
• Bai-Xiang Xu, TU Darmstadt
• Andreas Ricoeur, University of Kassel
• John Huber, University of Oxford
• Hongjun Yu, Harbin Institute of Technology

Due to the prominent multi-field coupling properties, smart and active materials and structures are widely applied in aerospace, mechanical engineering, medical treatment, information storage, energy harvesting, etc.

The challenge with the application of smart and active materials lies in the susceptibility to cracking and the low strength. In particular, the occurrence of high mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic loads leads to a reduction of the components' life.

This Mini-Symposium is focused on the theoretical modeling and numerical simulations of the fracture, damage and failure mechanics of smart and active materials.

The materials of interest are ferroelectrics, multi-ferroic composites, dielectric elastomers, electro-active polymers, magneto-rheological elastomers,...

Constitutive modeling of the coupled-field material behavior under mechanical, electric or magnetic excitations, first-principles and molecular dynamics calculations, phase-field modeling, finite element analysis and other continuum methods on multiphysics coupling, parameter identification and multi-scale approaches are welcomed alongside with the studies of their fracture, damage and failure.

The aim of the MS is to bring together and establish connections between scientists working on fracture of smart and active materials.