The Deployable Structures Team is focused on predicting folding and deployment behavior of deployable space structures in general. Two key areas that presently being focused are predicting the behavior of self-deployable composite booms and thin-folded membranes. We are particularly interested in basic mechanics of folding and deployment of ultra-thin shells/membranes under static and dynamic conditions. Development of sophisticated numerical models involves multi-scale modelling, highly non-linear geometric conditions, dynamic snapping, failure of anisotropic materials, fatigue and fracture. Group focuses equally on small-scale experiments to validate numerical results and 3D deformation measuring techniques are being developed presently.
PUBLICATIONS
- C. Piyumi and C. Mallikarachchi, “Influence of intersected fold-lines on thin folded membranes”, Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference 2020, MERCon2020, Katubedda, Sri Lanka, 28 - 30 July 2020.
- B.Y. Dharmadasa, M.W. McCallum, S. Mierunalan, S.P. Dassanayake, H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi and F. Lopez-Jimenez, “Formation of plastic creases in thin polyimide films”, ASME. J. Appl. Mech., May 2020; 87(5), 2020.
- S.Nadarajah, M.Jeyasekara, H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi, "Nonlinear Bending Response of Two-Ply Plain Woven Carbon Fiber Composites", in 5th International multidisciplinary engineering research conference, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2019.
- L.M.M.B. Jayasekara, H.S. Wijesuriya and H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi, “Bending behaviour of thin woven fibre composites under high curvatures”, Proceedings of the Annual Sessions of Institution of Engineers - Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 17 - 18 October 2019.
- H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi, “Predicting mechanical properties of thin woven carbon fiber rein-forced laminates", Thin-Walled Structures, 135(2019):297–305, 2018.
- B.Y. Dharmadasa, H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi and F. Lopez-Jimenez (2018), “Characterizing the mechanics of fold-lines in thin Kapton membranes”, 4th AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference, AIAA-2018-0450, Orlando, Florida, 7 - 12 January 2018.
- H.S. Wijesuriya, D.C.D.K. Karannagodage, S. Nadarajah and H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi (2018), “Predicting bending behavior of deployable booms made of thin woven fiber composites”, Proceedings of the Annual Sessions of Institution of Engineers - Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 18 - 19 October 2018.
- D.M.S.P. Dassanayake, S. Mierunalan, H.C. Weerasinghe and H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi (2018), “Fold-line mechanics of thin-folded membranes”, Proceedings of the Annual Sessions of Institution of Engineers - Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 18 - 19 October 2018.
- M. Sokovsky, S. Pellegrino and H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi, “Folding and deployment of closed cross-section dual-matrix composite booms”, 3rd AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference, AIAA-2016-0970, San Diego, California, 4-8 January 2016.
- H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi and S. Pellegrino, “Design of ultrathin composite self-deployable booms”, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 51(6):1811–1821, 2014.
- H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi and S. Pellegrino, “Deployment dynamics of ultrathin composite booms with tape-spring hinges”, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 51(2):604– 613, 2014.
- H.M.Y.C. Mallikarachchi and S. Pellegrino, “Failure criterion for symmetric two-ply plain-weave CFRP laminates”, Journal of Composite Materials, Vol. 47(11):1357–1375, 2013.