Materials, components and structures in key engineering fields (aerospace, wind power, nuclear energy) often endure complex loads (cyclic, impact, multi-field coupling) and waves (elastic waves, shock waves). Their mechanical behavior (e.g., fatigue failure, dynamic deformation, brittle or ductile behavior) directly determines operational safety, yet existing research faces bottlenecks: unclear damage mechanisms under multi-factor synergy, and inability of traditional characterization to capture transient/cross-scale responses, limiting design reliability.

Current challenges include difficult quantitative characterization of fatigue damage evolution under coupled complex loads-waves, ambiguous multi-scale correlation of dynamic responses, and insufficient understanding of wave-mechanical property interactions. Recent advances—such as in-situ dynamic characterization (e.g., synchrotron-based in-situ impact testing) and multi-scale dynamics simulation (molecular dynamics-finite element method coupling)—provide breakthrough opportunities. This Research Topic aims to integrate Mechanics theories and advanced Characterization techniques, reveal intrinsic links between Fatigue, waves, and dynamic responses, and establish cross-scale analytical and numeric models to support the design, optimization, and service life prediction of high-reliability material/structure.

This Topic covers core themes:

1) Fatigue mechanisms and life prediction under complex loads (cyclic+impact/multi-field coupling).

2) dynamic load-induced mechanical responses and Dynamics regulation.

3) coupling effects between Waves (elastic/shock) and material properties.

4) cross-scale Characterization (in-situ/multi-modal) for mechanical behavior.

5) engineering applications of Mechanics theories (nonlinear elasticity, damage mechanics) in complex conditions.

Topic editor Dr. Zhiwei Ma is employed by Vanadium and Titanium Branch of Ansteel Group Beijing Research Institute Co., Ltd. (and declares no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic Subject).

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Mechanical Behavior and Dynamic Response of Materials and Structures Under Complex Loads and Waves