Vacuum-tuneable structured fabrics

Scope

This project aims to design, develop, and validate a novel Tuneable Super Fabric (TSF), an innovative material composed of an interwoven structure of truss-unit particles fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques. The TSF will be encapsulated in a vacuum-sealed bag, allowing its mechanical properties—such as stiffness and damping—to be tuned online by varying the interior vacuum pressure. The primary objective is to create a lightweight, adaptive material that can be employed in various applications for the online control of noise and vibration across multiple sectors, including surface and air transportation vehicles, industrial machinery, buildings, and more.

Expected Outcomes

Proof-of-concept experimental demonstration of TSF
Application of TSF to vibration and noise control
Proposing a model for the vibration response and dispersion characteristic of TSF

Publications and Patents

Publication (jour.): E. Rustighi, P. Gardonio, S. Baldini, C. Malacarne, M. Perini “Vibration response of in-vacuo tuneable structured fabrics”. Journal of Vibration and Control 2024.
Publication (jour.): E. Rustighi, P. Gardonio, S. Baldini, C. Malacarne, M. Perini “Material characterization of deflated structured fabrics”. Aerotecnica Missili & Spazio, 2024.
Publication (jour.): P. Gardonio, L. Ortis, E. Rustighi, C. Malacarne, M. Perini “Multi-resonant TVA formed by a tree of deflated composite beams with core structured fabrics”. Smart Materials and Structures, 34, 2025.
Publication (jour.): P. Gardonio, E. Rustighi, S. Baldini, C. Malacarne, M. Perini “In-vacuo adaptive beam element for vibration control”. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 224, 2025.

Personnel

Reference person: Emiliano Rustighi
DII members: Davide Raffaele
External collaborators: Paolo Gardonio (Uni. Udine), Sergio De Rosa (Uni. Napoli Federico II)

Report abuse