Morpho -- A programmable environment for shape optimization and shapeshifting problems

16 Aug 2022  ·  Chaitanya Joshi, Daniel Goldstein, Cole Wennerholm, Eoghan Downey, Emmett Hamilton, Samuel Hocking, Anca Andrei, James H. Adler, Timothy J. Atherton ·

An emerging theme across many domains of science and engineering is materials that change shape, often dramatically. Determining their structure involves solving a shape optimization problem where a given energy functional is minimized with respect to the shape of the domain and auxiliary fields describing the structure. Such problems are very challenging to solve and there is a lack of suitable simulation tools that are both readily accessible and general purpose. To address this gap, we present Morpho, an open-source programmable environment, and demonstrate its versatility by showcasing three applications to different areas of soft matter - swelling hydrogels, complex fluids that form aspherical droplets, to soap films and membranes - and advise on broader uses.

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