Mehnert, Markus, Dr.-Ing.

Dr.-Ing. Markus Mehnert

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Institute of Applied Mechanics (LTM, Prof. Steinmann)

Raum 00.042
Egerlandstraße 5
91058 Erlangen
Deutschland

Phone number: +49 9131 85-20993
Fax number: +49 9131 85-28503
Email: markus.mehnert@fau.de
Website: https://www.ltm.tf.fau.de/person/markus-mehnert-dr-ing/

Modelling and simulation of nonlinear electro-thermo-visco-elastic EAPs(Electronic Electro-Active Polymers)

(Third Party Funds Single)

Project leader: Paul Steinmann
Start date: 1. January 2014
Funding source: DFG-Einzelförderung / Sachbeihilfe (EIN-SBH)

Abstract:

The numerical modeling and simulation of the behavior of EEAPs (Electronic Electro-Active Polymers) under electric loading is considered in this proposal. Despite the fact that efforts have been made to simulate the behavior of EEAPs, work still needs to be done to model the electro-thermo-mechanical interaction in a body undergoing large deformation and being subjected to the influence of the free space surrounding the material body. First of all, until now there exists no thermo-dynamically consistent model that at the same time accounts for large deformations, nonlinear electric polarization, visco-elasticity and the temperature-dependent electro-mechanical properties of EEAPs. At the moment, there exists no software that is capable of simulating these effects simultaneously. In addition, almost all works in the literature related to EEAPs did not consider the effect of the free space surrounding a body of interest and as a consequence can only be used in the case of simulating condensator-like structures whose thickness is very small in comparison with other dimensions. In this proposal, the behavior of EEAPs will be modeled using the theory of electro-thermo-visco-elasticity and will be simulated by using the finite element method (FEM) coupled with the boundary element method (BEM). The FEM will be used to model the material body and the BEM will be used to model the surrounding free space. Besides the numerical simulation of the electro-thermo-mechanical interaction in EEAPs, the numerical evaluation of material forces in structures with defects made of EEAPs, taking into account the electro-thermo-visco-elastic effect, is also considered. These forces can be used, for example, in the prediction of the propagation of cracks, which can take place in EEAP-based structures under electric loads.

Publications:

2024

Mehnert M., Moreno Mateos MA., Griwatz JH., Müsse S., Wegner HA., Steinmann P.:
Experimental and numerical investigation of the photo-mechanical response of azobenzene filled soft elastomers, Part I: Experimental investigations
In: Extreme Mechanics Letters (2024), p. 102182
ISSN: 2352-4316
DOI: 10.1016/j.eml.2024.102182
Moreno Mateos MA., Mehnert M., Steinmann P.:
Electro-mechanical actuation modulates fracture performance of soft dielectric elastomers
In: International Journal of Engineering Science 195 (2024), Article No.: 104008
ISSN: 0020-7225
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijengsci.2023.104008

2022

Mehnert M., Faber J., Hossain M., Chester SA., Steinmann P.:
Experimental and numerical investigation of the electro-mechanical response of particle filled elastomers - Part I: Experimental investigations
In: European Journal of Mechanics A-Solids 96 (2022), Article No.: 104651
ISSN: 0997-7538
DOI: 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2022.104651
Mehnert M., Faber J., Hossain M., Chester SA., Steinmann P.:
Experimental and numerical investigations of the electro-mechanical response of particle filled elastomers—Part II: Continuum modeling approach
In: European Journal of Mechanics A-Solids 96 (2022), Article No.: 104661
ISSN: 0997-7538
DOI: 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2022.104661
Mehnert M., Oates W., Steinmann P.:
Numerical modeling of nonlinear photoelasticity
In: International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering (2022)
ISSN: 0029-5981
DOI: 10.1002/nme.7177
Stanisauskis E., Mashayekhi S., Pahari B., Mehnert M., Steinmann P., Oates W.:
Fractional and fractal order effects in soft elastomers: Strain rate and temperature dependent nonlinear mechanics
In: Mechanics of Materials 172 (2022), Article No.: 104390
ISSN: 0167-6636
DOI: 10.1016/j.mechmat.2022.104390

2021

Mehnert M., Hossain M., Steinmann P.:
A complete thermo-electro-viscoelastic characterization of dielectric elastomers, Part I: Experimental investigations
In: Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids (2021), p. 104603
ISSN: 0022-5096
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmps.2021.104603
Mehnert M., Hossain M., Steinmann P.:
A complete thermo-electro-viscoelastic characterization of dielectric elastomers, Part II: Continuum modeling approach
In: Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 157 (2021), p. 104625
ISSN: 0022-5096
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmps.2021.104625
Mehnert M., Oates W., Steinmann P.:
A geometrically exact continuum framework for light-matter interaction in photo-active polymers I. Variational setting
In: International Journal of Solids and Structures 226-227 (2021), Article No.: 111073
ISSN: 0020-7683
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2021.111073

2020

Hasegawa R., Mehnert M., Mergheim J., Steinmann P., Kakimoto K.:
Behavior of vibration energy harvesters composed of polymer fibers and piezoelectric ceramic particles
In: Sensors and Actuators A-Physical 303 (2020), Article No.: 111699
ISSN: 0924-4247
DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2019.111699
Liao Z., Hossain M., Yao X., Mehnert M., Steinmann P.:
On thermo-viscoelastic experimental characterization and numerical modelling of VHB polymer
In: International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics 118 (2020), Article No.: 103263
ISSN: 0020-7462
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2019.103263

2019

Mehnert M., Mokarram H., Steinmann P.:
Experimental and numerical investigations of the electro-viscoelastic behavior of VHB 4905TM
In: European Journal of Mechanics A-Solids 77 (2019), Article No.: 103797
ISSN: 0997-7538
DOI: 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2019.103797
Mehnert M., Steinmann P.:
On the influence of the compliant electrodes on the mechanical behavior of VHB 4905
In: Computational Materials Science 160 (2019), p. 287-294
ISSN: 0927-0256
DOI: 10.1016/j.commatsci.2019.01.011

2018

Mehnert M., Mathieu-Pennober T., Steinmann P.:
On the Influence of the Coupled Invariant in Thermo-Electro-Elasticity
In: Generalized Models and Non-classical Approaches in Complex Materials, 2018, p. 533-554
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-72440-9_28
Mehnert M., Mokarram H., Steinmann P.:
Numerical modelling of thermo-electro-viscoelasticity with field-dependent material parameters
In: International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics 106 (2018), p. 13-24
ISSN: 0020-7462
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2018.08.016

2017

Mehnert M., Mokarram H., Steinmann P.:
Towards a thermo-magneto-mechanical coupling framework for magneto-rheological elastomers
In: International Journal of Solids and Structures (2017)
ISSN: 0020-7683
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2017.08.022
Mehnert M., Pelteret JP., Steinmann P.:
Numerical modelling of nonlinear thermo-electro-elasticity
In: Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids (2017)
ISSN: 1081-2865
DOI: 10.1177/1081286517729867

2016

Mehnert M., Mokarram H., Steinmann P.:
On nonlinear thermo-electro-elasticity
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society A-Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences (2016)
ISSN: 1364-5021

2015

Mehnert M., Fillep S., Mergheim J., Steinmann P.:
Computational Homogenization of Micromechanically Resolved Textile Materials
Will S., Bräuer A., Hankel R., Mehnert M., Schuster J.:
A Raman technique applicable for the analysis of the working principle of promoters and inhibitors of gas hydrate formation
In: Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 46 (2015), p. 1145-1149
ISSN: 0377-0486
DOI: 10.1002/jrs.4744