I-Corps: Meta-material Impact Protection Units

Missouri University Of Science And Technology, Rolla MO

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to provide significant pathways for the commercialization of unique impact panels that can be deployed to protect our nation's critical transportation infrastructure, as well as the people and equipment that navigate U.S. highways and waterways. Vehicle impact is the second-highest cause of bridge/overpass failures. Over-height-truck impacts on bridge girders occurs on a weekly basis. These collisions cause severe injuries and causalities, in addition to economic losses including critical damage and collapses, downtime, expensive detours, and traffic congestion. The developed technology will save human lives and reduce the damage to vehicles and infrastructure whenever a collision happens. Fifteen percent of total fatal crashes (10,230 fatalities and $655,000 property damage) in 2017 were collisions with fixed objects. Our solution will be beneficial for multiple customer segments from car owners to state and federal agencies who are responsible for our highways, overpasses, waterways and bridges. Our panels will also save hundreds of thousands of dollars as they can survive dozens of impacts before they need to be replaced. This project presents a new paradigm in the design of impact barriers thanks to recent advancements in structural mechanics, material science, and industrial manufacturing. This I-Corps project aims to introduce a unique technology for energy dissipation and impact protection to be used in wide-spectrum of applications. Our technology is comprised of a metamaterial unit cell that can be arranged in an array to produce an impact panel that can be tailored to fit different impact loads. Therefore, the panels can be produced and assembled into systems of any height, width and depth. This system of panels has the ability to dissipate energy through non-linear elastic behavior which allows the system to protect vital infrastructure from damage as well as protect vehicles and passengers from harm during a collision. Both experimental and finite element models of small-scale units showed the potential of the developed system to dissipate impact energy while remain elastic. Our research has resulted in a provisional patent being filed and we anticipate a few more patents being added to the portfolio during the next few months. The results we have achieve from our research and testing clearly demonstrate that we can affordably build protective panel systems capable of dissipating high levels of impact energy. This same platform technology will also be used to develop more products that require high levels of energy dissipation such as shock absorption. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.