Composite and Smart Materials and Structures (KNTU & ITTD Newsletter N. 2)

It gives me immense pleasure to present the second issue of the newsletter Composite and Smart Materials and Structures, which is being brought jointly by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran. On behalf of IIT Delhi, I take this opportunity to thank Prof. S. M. R. Khalili for initiating and shaping this collaborative endeavor to bring to the knowledge of the students and researchers the significant recent developments in this field. The increasing demand for lightweight, high-performance structures across micro to large devices, products and systems is fast replacing traditional metals with composite materials. They possess several favorable attributes, such as high specific strength, stiffness, and corrosion resistance, but are also characterized by a high degree of anisotropy and inhomogeneity and complex failure modes, which bring challenges to   their   analysis   and   design.   For   achieving   high- performance objectives such as active control of unwanted vibrations, noise and shape, health monitoring, and energy harvesting, these structures are often equipped with smart materials to act as sensors and actuators for adaptive capabilities. The advent of 3D printing has made a paradigm shift in the tailoring possibilities of such materials and structures. The newsletter on this topic is, therefore, a timely step that I am sure will take research in this area in both institutes to newer heights. I urge all researchers and scholars to contribute to the newsletter to make it a grand success and also benefit from it.

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