"Multiscale and Multi-physics Characterization and Modeling of Nonlinear Dynamics and Damage Growth in Composite Aerostructures in Extreme and Coupled Loading Environments"

This event is sponsored by FAMU-FSU Engineering Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering.

Abstract: Modern supersonic aircraft, including the Lockheed F-35A and Boom Overture, increasingly rely on polymer composites for lightweight load-bearing structures, and next-generation hypersonic vehicles will require advanced composites for both primary structures and thermal protection systems. High-speed flight creates coupled thermal-mechanical loading where composite panels can thermally buckle and undergo complex vibrations, amplifying internal stresses and accelerating fatigue damage. To address these challenges, this research presents a multiscale, multi-physics experimental and computational framework integrating thermal, structural, and damage sub-models. The framework is validated through advanced manufacturing processes and laboratory testing, including robotic stitching, resin-infused composite fabrication, thermal chamber experiments, and multiscale digital image correlation. The focus is on stitched resin-infused thermoplastic composites engineered to resist crack propagation and withstand elevated temperatures in supersonic flight, with a pathway to extend these capabilities to ceramic-matrix and carbon-carbon composites for hypersonic applications. The outcome is a comprehensive database of experimental results and validated modeling codes enabling high-fidelity digital twin predictions of structural life under severe thermal and dynamic loading. Future research directions including infrastructure applications and advanced manufacturing for electric motor systems are also presented.

Dr. Han-Gyu Kim

Assistant Professor

Department of Aerospace Engineering

Mississippi State University

Speaker Bio: Dr. Han-Gyu Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Mississippi State University, where he has received back-to-back Faculty of the Year Awards (2023–2024 and 2024–2025). His research focuses on developing multiscale experimental and computational frameworks for damage prediction in composite structures manufactured through advanced processing techniques, including robotic stitching and resin infusion. He is currently collaborating with the FAA on stitched resin-infused composites for commercial aircraft applications and with the NASA Glenn Research Center on highfidelity damage models for thermoplastic composites in space launch systems. Additionally, his new FAA project will investigate the structural and passenger safety of advanced air mobility vehicles. For interdisciplinary research, he is developing carbon-fiber composite rotor sleeves for highperformance electric motors free of rare-earth materials with NSF funds and participated in the NSF I-Corps program to identify industrial partners for commercialization. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 2019 and completed a postdoctoral appointment in the William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics.