Philosophical Magazine Letters

Multiscale and Multiphysics Characterization and Modeling of Mechanical Behavior in Structural and Functional Materials

Understanding and predicting the mechanical behavior of materials require a comprehensive approach that connects phenomena across multiple length scales. From atomistic and dislocation-level mechanisms to microstructural evolution and macroscopic responses, materials exhibit complex behavior governed by interacting physical processes. Recent advances in experimental characterization, theoretical mechanics, and computational modeling have enabled unprecedented insight into these multiscale and multiphysics interactions. This Article Collection aims to provide a focused forum for recent progress in multiscale and multiphysics characterization and modeling of mechanical behavior in structural and functional materials.

Accurate prediction of mechanical behavior is critical for the safe and reliable design of materials used in demanding applications such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, and energy systems. Modern materials often operate under complex loading paths and environments, where conventional single-scale or single-physics approaches are insufficient. Challenges such as anisotropic deformation, strain localization, damage accumulation, and fracture are inherently multiscale in nature and strongly coupled with thermal, chemical, and environmental effects. Moreover, emerging external environmental factors—such as hydrogen exposure, irradiation, and corrosive environments—can significantly alter deformation mechanisms, leading to issues including hydrogen embrittlement, delayed fracture, and long-term reliability degradation. Addressing these challenges requires integrated experimental and modeling strategies that bridge scales and physical domains. This Collection seeks to highlight such integrative efforts and to stimulate further advances in predictive materials mechanics.

The Article Collection welcomes contributions covering, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Advanced experimental characterization for multiscale mechanical characterization
• Crystal plasticity, dislocation-based modeling, and their links to continuum-scale descriptions
• Microstructure-informed mechanical modeling and simulation
• Multiphysics coupling in mechanical behavior, including thermo-mechanical, chemo-mechanical, and environment-assisted effects
• Experimental investigation and numerical modeling of hydrogen-related phenomena, such as hydrogen embrittlement, delayed fracture, and reliability issues
• Damage, fracture, and failure modeling and simulation across length scales
• Effects of complex and non-proportional loading paths on material response
• Data-driven, machine-learning, and hybrid physics-based approaches for predicting mechanical behavior
• Integration of experiments, simulations, and theory to improve predictive capability and materials design

Myoung-Gyu Lee is a full professor and Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University, Korea. He received his Ph.D. from Seoul National University in 2004. His main research interests include multiscale and multiphysics modeling and simulation of structural materials for manufacturing process optimization, plasticity theory, and constitutive model development for highly nonlinear and anisotropic metals.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer-review as part of our standard editorial process. Guest Advisors will not be involved in peer-reviewing manuscripts unless they are an existing member of the Editorial Board.

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 December 2026.

Please contact Agnes Zhou at [email protected] with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection (Multiscale and Multiphysics Characterization and Modeling of Mechanical Behavior in Structural and Functional Materials) from the drop-down menu in the submission system.