Validated and Actionable Simulation of Aerospace Composites

Agenda

• 5:00 PM - Networking

• 6:00 PM - Dinner
• 6:55 PM - Speaker introduction
• 7:00 PM - Main Speaker
• 8:00 PM - Adjourn

Validated and Actionable Simulation of Aerospace Composites: Challenges, Advancements and Outlook

By Nelson Vieira de Carvalho, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Utah and Co-Director of the Utah Composites Laboratory.

Advanced composites are expected to play a critical role in addressing the aerospace industry’s grand challenges, including the transition to sustainable aviation, the expansion of urban air mobility, the development of supersonic and hypersonic flight, and enabling affordable access and long-term human presence in space. Despite their promise, the full potential of composite materials remains largely unrealized. This presentation will examine key scientific challenges and recent progress toward developing simulation tools that serve as cross-cutting technologies for confident composite design. As an example, I will discuss the Progressive Release Explicit Virtual Crack Closure Technique, which represents a significant advancement in accurate, actionable, composite damage modeling. I will also share lessons learned from validating methodologies for predicting skin-stringer separation in reinforced composite skins, conducted under the Advanced Composites Project. Throughout, I will emphasize the integration of simulation and experimentation as the foundation for accelerating material system discovery and rapid deployment. I will conclude by presenting an overview of ongoing research initiatives at the Utah Composites Lab that exemplify this integrated approach.

Dr. de Carvalho is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah and Co-Director of the Utah Composites Laboratory. His research focuses on developing predictive models for the mechanical behavior of polymer and ceramic matrix composites, as well as ablative materials, with an emphasis on progressive damage and fracture simulation. The overarching goal is to advance methodologies that optimize testing, manufacturing, design, and operational performance of aerospace composites. Dr. Carvalho earned his Ph.D. from Imperial College London and spent 13 years at NASA Langley Research Center in the Durability, Damage Tolerance, and Reliability Branch, contributing to missions such as Mars Sample Return and Orion’s Artemis I investigation. Through NASA programs—including the Hypersonics Technology Project and Transformational Tools and Technologies Project—he advanced predictive capabilities for polymer and ceramic matrix composites and facilitated technology transfer to industry. He actively contributes to CMH-17 and ASTM. His honors include the American Society for Composites Young Researcher Award (2016) and NASA’s Exceptional Technical Achievement Medal (2024).

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