Open source software for modeling soft materials

When mechanical and structural engineers design machines, bridges, and buildings, they calculate loads, stresses, and deformation of metal, steel, concrete, glass, wood, and plastic to find the optimal geometry that bears loads with the minimum cost of material. Designing for relatively hard materials that do not deform too much is commonly handled by software that calculates and optimizes structures using mathematical models that are well understood and easily applied. But there is an expanding class of design challenges for things that incorporate soft materials—biological materials, engineered tissues, membranes, and even shape-shifting fluids that respond to electromagnetic fields. Predicting how these soft and fluidic materials respond to forces is more challenging than predicting the behavior of hard materials. Real world applications can include design of artificial hearts and heart valves or robot materials that mimic flesh and soft tissue. To meet this challenge, a team of ... Read full article.